Driving Onward
by JosiahGirl
Summary: Extra Extra I have finished that is completed my epic arc. Come see something that I never thought could possibly happen. Read Review Tell me what you think.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Driving Onward  
Author: Josiahgirl  
Rating: PG-13 for some mature themes  
Review: Please R and R   
Email: See profile  
Disclaimer: I don't any of the real newsies, *sniffle* I want a Spot. I do own the cute little kids and the obnoxious Cousins and the added girls.   
  
Author's Notes: Here it is the "long" awaited final chapter to my story line. I now can almost rest easy cause you guys should put away the axes and guns long enough for me to get a breather. Just a warning this is where my back stories are going to come in handy. I am finally pulling it all together. So if there is a huge gap where I don't update this at all, it's because I want to get a chapter in another story written first, i.e. Snapshots of a Memory. So for anyone who is just tuning in for the first time. I guess as of right now the best way to read these stories is Story of An Irish Lass, (just finished uploading today) Out of the Driving Snow, Another Fine Day, Brooklyn vs. Manhattan, Cries in the Dark, and then Finally this one. Snapshots of a Memory should be read as it is put up, I won't put up a chapter here with out at least giving you some background information in that story. And the background information will be important as I am not going to just give brief introductions to new characters that I introduce now that my newsies are in Nebraska, or are getting there. Any way here is the last story about Kit, Swan, Cray, Spot, Mills, Tack, the twins and the little girls. Enjoy. 


	2. Dodging the Bullet

The headline for September 14, 1901 was a heavy headline for many newsies to hawk to the populace. The president had died after battling for his life because of a gunshot wound the week before. It was a small consolation that the former governor was going to be sworn in the next day. Andrew Kosei sat in his small office reading a paper he had bought off of a passing newsie earlier as he waited for his boarders to get back from their day of selling.   
  
Around 5 in the afternoon he heard them come in, but decided to leave them to themselves figuring that if they needed him, which they almost never did, one or the other would come for him. It wasn't even 10 minutes when most of the newsies came back down the stairs. Spot stopped in before he followed his newsies out, "Hey Kosei do youse mind keeping a eye out for Kit? Her brother is here and Ise worried he might try something stupid."   
  
Andrew Kosei looked up from his paper work, "Sure Spot, I'll keep my eyes and ears open."   
Spot smiled a bit, "Thanks Kosei, wes be back in about an hour or so. If Kit comes wondering tell her wes went to Toby's."   
"I'll do that." Kosei said with a wave of his hand. Spot then went to catch up with the rest of the newsies, his stomach over ruling his brain's message to stay at the lodging house.  
  
Kosei did keep an ear open and before long he heard muffled yelling. He was going to investigate when he heard the thump of feet landing in the bunkroom. He figured Kit and her brother must of come in, after fighting it out. He went back to his paperwork, until he heard Kit call out to him.   
  
"Kosei?" Kosei came from his back room, "I wanted to say good-bye, I am going back to Nebraska." Kit was worrying her lip with tears in her eyes.   
Kosei came from around the counter and brought her into a hug, "You want me to tell the boys?"  
  
Kit stepped out of the hug and held out two letters, "No just give them these letters tomorrow. Tell them I went to Manhattan for the night. Just make sure Spot reads his first. I'll miss you Kosei."   
Kosei tried to smile, "Miss you too Kit. Try to keep in touch."   
"I'll try really hard." He knew it was a lie but nodded in acceptance.  
  
"Kit come on they'll be back soon then we'll never get out of here." Cray said impatiently from the door.  
"Bye Kosei, make sure they know I love them." Kit looked as if she was ready to break down then.   
"Will do Kit, bye." Kosei assured her as she walked out the door.   
  
He went back to his desk, and pondered how he was going to tell the newsies that Kit was gone. She had touched many lives in her three month stay, and had an effect on all the newsies. She was either seen as the little sister or mother by many newsies; and held a special place in all their hearts. Kosei dreaded telling Spot that she was gone. Even though Spot and Kit had never said they were a couple until the day before they had acted like one for quite sometime. Spot wasn't going to take this well, and neither were the twins.   
  
Kosei suddenly had no more time to think about it, the newsies came back to the lodging house, not as saddened as before. The twins rushed up the stairs to try to talk Kit into giving them a lesson with the little girls on their heels, not wanting to be left out. Kosei began counting in his head the seconds for one or all to come asking about Kit.   
  
"KOSEI where's Kit?" Jolly came into running into his office with Bait trailing behind. Spot and the others had heard the question and followed the boys. Kosei knew his office wasn't going to hold everyone and he only wanted to repeat the lie once so he walked out into the foyer.   
  
"Kit's brother needed her to go to Manhattan with him for the night. Something about being short at Irving Hall." The excuse sounded lame in Kosei's ears even as he gave it, and while most of the newsies just nodded and went up to the bunkroom Spot stayed back giving Kosei a skeptical look.  
  
"Kosei, youse ain't saying everything. Cray didn't need to talk to Kit in private if he was asking her to work at Medda's. Where's my goil?"  
  
Kosei motioned for Spot to come into his office. "Ise supposed to give this too you tomorrow but if youse deserve to at least have a chance to go get her." Kosei spoke as he gave Spot the note that Kit had written him.  
  
The room was silent as Spot read finally he looked up from the note anger smoldering in his eyes, "When did she say they were leaving?"   
"She didn't say, Ise assuming in the next day or so."   
  
Spot nodded shortly and went to the bunkroom to find Rounder. He was in the middle of a poker match. Spot went over to the game and was patient as the game came to a close. "Youse wanna join in?" Sticks asked as he shuffled the deck.  
  
"No Rounder wes got ta talk." Spot motioned with his head and Rounder nodded.  
"Sticks don't hold the game on account of me." He spoke as he got up and followed Spot off to the side of the room.   
  
"Kit ain't gonna be coming back any time soon." Spot cut right to the point. "Her cousin is making her go with him and his brother back to Nebraska. Ise gonna go after her, hopefully catch them before they leave and if not Ise gonna to head for Nebraska. Youse gonna be in charge till Ise get back."   
  
"How long youse think you'll be gone?" Rounder asked, not questioning Spot's decision to go find Kit.  
"Don't know probably till Christmas if Ise have to go to Nebraska." Spot said with a shrug.   
  
"What are youse gonna tell the kids or is that gonna be my job." Rounder asked before Spot could leave.  
  
"Ise tell them before Ise leave tomorrow." Spot said over his shoulder as he began to look through things to take with him. Rounder watched him for a moment and after it became apparent that Spot wasn't going to say anything more he went back to the card game. Neither newsie saw the small eavesdroppers on top of the bunk.   
  
"Jolly wes can't let Kit go away, wes need her." Bait turned to Jolly with a frown.  
"Yeah wes should go after her." Jolly suggested.  
  
"Yeah Ise bet she is going to that place Nebraska."   
"Yeah we have money Ise bet we could find her and bring her back and surprise everyone."   
"Yeah, come on lets get our money and go."   
"Okay." Both boys jumped off the bunk and went over to where they kept the money that they had earned. As they were putting stuff into small bundles the little girls came over. Two Bit had her thumb in her mouth and kept tugging on Lacy's shirt sleeve.   
  
"Two Bit wants to know what you doing." Lacy stated after Two Bit whispered in her ear.  
"Wes gonna go get Kit and bring her back." Bait answered.  
  
"Two Bit wants to know why."   
"Cause she didn't want to leave, and wes need her here." Jolly sounded logical and Bait nodded in agreement.  
  
"Can Two Bit and me come along?" Lacy asked.  
"Well…" Jolly was hesident but Bait cut in.  
"Yeah if youse really want to youse can."   
  
Both girls smiled really big. "Go get some stuff together, but don't let Tack or anyone else see youse, wes gonna sneak out."   
The girls nodded, before they left, Lacy thought of something. "Shouldn't wes tell Tack or Spot where wes going?"  
  
"No cause they would stop us." Bait said seriously.  
"But they would worry if wes don't leave a note." Lacy said just as seriously.  
"Okay wes leave a note, what should wes say?" Jolly got a piece of paper and a pencil.  
"Umm how bout,   
Spot and Tack,   
Me and Jolly and the goils went ta find Kit in Nabaska. Wes bring her back.   
Then wes sign it." Bait suggested.  
  
"Wes should say we got money for food so they don't worry." Lacy added.   
  
"Okay here sign it." Jolly held out the note and the kids signed it, well Two Bit put down some lines and Jolly added an arrow that said "To Bit"   
  
They gathered their things and slipped pass the unaware newsies and headed for Manhattan.   



	3. Run to Catch a Train

So intent with figuring out how to get return Kit safe and sound, not one of the older newsies noticed the 4 younger children slip out into the dark. The four children walked onward. Soon Two Bit got tired and insisted on being held. Jolly reluctantly picked her up and put her on his back. 

"Wes should take her back." Jolly said as they walked toward Manhattan. 

"Wes can't if wes do Spot will see us and then we'll never find Kit." Bait stated, Lacy just nodded agreeing with Bait because he was Bait. 

They finally made it into Manhattan safely around first light. Every one was tired but they pushed onward and made it to the train yard in time to see Bryon and Mills say goodbye. They watched Mills get on a train and Bryon head off. 

"Ise bet that is the train Kit is on." Bait said pushing Lacy off his shoulder where she had put her head when they stopped. 

"How can youse be sure." Jolly asked hitching Two Bit up in his arms. 

"Ise just know. Come on lets get on a car before someone spots us." Bait suggested. "Come on Lacy wes just need to get on a car then youse can sleep all youse want." 

His words barely registered with the tired girl but she sleepily followed the two older boys down the tracks and into an open boxcar. "Now what?" Jolly asked. 

"Ise don't know Ise never done this before." Bait was a bit irritated. 

"Well neither have I." Jolly stated, "Ise guess we should hide. Ise don't wanna get caught before the train starts, they'll throw us off for sure." 

"Youse right, come'n lets hide behind those boxes." Bait pointed over to a stack of boxes that seemed to make the best hiding place for the four stowaways. They lifted the two girls over and were surprised to find a bunch of straw behind the boxes. They all laid down and soon were so tired they didn't hear the boxcar doors slam shut or the train start on its trip to Nebraska. 

Back in Brooklyn sobbing broke the early morning silence of bunkhouse. No one had noticed the four children had slipped out till that morning. Tack had thought they had gone to bed and not wanting to disturb them had fallen asleep in the main room. She woke up around two and decided to check on the kids to make sure they were taking Kit's departure okay. She went in and saw that no one was in any of the beds. She checked under the bunk and the cot and all around in the room, trying to search out any of the hiding places they could have found. 

Panicking she went out and shook Spot awake. "What's the big idea?" 

"Spot they're gone." Tack was able to get out. 

"Whose gone Tack?" Spot tired to rub the sleep from his eyes. 

"The kids, they're gone. I went to go check on them and they just aren't there." Tack's voice raised to a fever pitch which woke Rounder who slept in the bunk across from Spot. 

"What's wrong?" He sat up stretching. 

"She's going on about something with the kids being gone." Suddenly Spot was wide awake. "The kids are gone?" 

"Yes, that is what I was trying to tell you. They're gone." Tack slid to the floor and began to cry. 

Rounder climbed out of his bed and sat down next to Tack, "Don't worry they probably went on the roof or something. Ise go check." Rounder patted her on the back and then went to go check it out. 

Spot got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants, which would have caused Tack to blush but she was distraught over losing her sisters. "Ise bet Rounder's right they probably just up on the roof." 

Tack didn't calm down and when Rounder came back empty handed she began to sob loudly. The two young men were at a loss at what to do. Spot went to go get a towel for Tack to blow her nose. He was coming back when the moonlight caught a piece of paper on the twin's bunk. 

He gave Tack the towel as he struck a match to light a candle. He read the note then gave it to Rounder to read. "Tack Ise know where the kids are." 

"Where are they?" Tack wiped her eyes with the towel. 

"They left a note, here read it." 

Tack took the note and read it allowed: 

" `Spot and Tack, Me an Jolly an the gols wen ta fine Kit in Nabaska. Wes brin her back. 

Bait, Jolly, Lacy and /-\| To Bit, Wes tok mony four food.' They went to go get Kit? How are they going to get there?" Tack began to cry again. 

"Rounder go get the bag that is on the shelf in Kit's room." Spot said as he put his arm around Tack. "Tack wes gonna get them back." 

"Here youse go Spot, what's in the bag?" Rounder was back quickly with the bag. 

"Some money and stuff of Kit's that she gave me. Along with an address wes was supposed to go to if something happened to her." Spot pulled out some paper. "Wes need to go to Nebraska, she gave us the name and address of a Jeremy Olson. Wes send him a telegram telling him to watch for Kit and her cousins and leave a telegram for her too about the twins and the girls following her." 

"What youse gonna to do with the money?" Rounder asked. 

"There's enough money here for a ticket to Nebraska, Kit told me. I got some more money, Tack get youse stuff together wes going to Nebraska." Spot picked the sniffling girl up from the floor. Tack nodded and went to hurriedly pack. 

Spot then headed down to wake Kosei. "Kosei wake up man." 

"What youse want Spot?" Kosei was angry about being woken up. 

"The twins went after Kit, they took the little girls with them, me and Tack are going for them and for Kit." Spot said matter of factly. 

"Really?" Kosei stood up and went over to a draw and pulled something out. It was a small bag, much like the one Rounder had gotten for Spot just moments earlier. "Here take these it will probably be a good thing." 

Spot took the bag with out opening it, "Thanks. Watch out for the kids for me?" 

"Course, go bring her back." Kosei commanded him. 

"Ise planning on it." Spot said smartly as he went out the door and headed back up the stairs. 

Spot called Rounder, "Ise already put youse in charge, don't burn Brooklyn down on me hear?" Rounder smiled and spit in his hand, holding it out to Spot, he reciprocated and they shook. Spot picked up the bundle of things he had gathered earlier and went over to Tack. She had just finished throwing things into a bundle and tied it up. "Youse ready?" 

"I guess so. Wes gonna find them?" 

"Of course. Let's get going." He grabbed her hand and they went running towards Manhattan and the train yard. 

The sun was just coming up as they reached the train yard, they had run and made it before the train left. They missed seeing the children by mere moments and had passed Bryon on the street coming in. Spot raced up to the ticket counter. "Ise need 2 tickets to Lincoln, NE. And Ise need to send this message to the man on the front." He pushed the message through the window. 

"Hold youse horses. First off youse can't get a train to Nebraska. Ise can get youse to Chicago, though. If youse do that youse train doesn't leave for another 10 minutes. Now the message will cost youse 2 bucks and the tickets come to 7 dollars each." Spot counted out the money in his pockets, they had just enough for the tickets and the telegram. "Well there youse go. Have a good ride." The man handed them their tickets and they went to the train. They barely got their seats before the train stated to move. Sliding onto the hard wooden benches Spot and Tack leaned against each other and were soon sleeping like children. Exhausted from their run and from the events of the past day. 


	4. Train Trips are Boring

After they had entered the train Kit and her family were shown to their compartment. Kit barely noticed her surroundings she was silent and kept sending Cray and Swan dirty looks. The seats were padded with a red velvet material. Most of the compartment was polished wood and very cozy for the 4 occupants. Mills saw that the seats were two of the 6 beds in the room, the other 4 seemed to fold out from the wall. She wondered who they would be sharing the compartment. 

Swan seemed to sense her question, "We got the whole thing to ourselves. This is definitely better than the way we came out, ain't it Kit?" 

Kit shrugged before turning her attention out the window. She watched the other passengers board, every one seemed excited to leave the City. Kit wondered where they were going and how anyone could bare to leave the City she had grown to feel was her home. 

Mills was putting some of the luggage in the rack above Kit's head when some of it slipped. "Kit watch out." She ducked her head, covering it, which broke her attention from the window as two people, boarded the train in the car ahead of them. "Kit youse okay?" Mills sat down next to her friend. 

"Yeah nothing broken. Here let me help you get those up there, I am taller." Kit pasted a fake smile on as she stood up taking the boxes from the shorter girl and placing them on the rack and securing them, "I don't need them to come down on my head now do I?" 

"Nope," Kit sat back down, but Mills remained standing. The train moved and Mills ended up falling into Cray's lap. "You know hun, if you wanted to sit in my lap you only had to ask." Cray teased Mills as he leaned over and kissed her. 

"Hey there are two other people in this compartment. Please refrain from the kissing." Swan spoke mischievously. Kit smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She went back to looking out the window as she watched the City she called home pass. Mills did get off Cray's lap and went to sit by Kit again. She pulled out some yarn and a needle from the bag she had purposefully left on the floor and began to work on something. Cray and Swan started to talk between the two about the prospect of going home. Kit continued to stare forlornly out the window wishing to be back on the street selling her papes for a penny a piece. 

Spot and Tack didn't move a muscle as they slept. The conductor came by and woke Spot for their tickets about an hour into their trip but didn't bug them afterwards. They slept through the most of the stops in New York. Waking only when the conductor came through calling out the first of many Pennsylvania stops. They both got up to stretch their legs and walk around a bit. 

"So what are we going to do Spot?" Tack said after they had gotten resettled. 

"Well this here train only goes to Chicago. Wes gonna have to figure out a way to get more money. Wes don't have much more." 

"The twins don't know the trains only go to Chicago. They is gonna get lost and wes never gonna find them." Tack started to panic, Spot looked at her. 

"Tack wes gonna find them before that. What wes gotta do is get off at every stop and ask if anyone seen 4 little kids get off any trains. And then leave them this Jeremy guy's name and have them telegram us if they find them." Spot tried to calm the girl. "But right now wes need money and Ise got no idea how to get it." 

Tack sniffled, "Well...we could always play poker with men or something." 

"Nah that would get us kicked off quicker than youse could say papes. That won't work." 

Tack sat and thought, till she remembered the bag that Kosei had given them. "Spot what's in the bag Mr. Kosei gave to you?" 

"Ise don't know...maybe some food or something." Spot shrugged as he reached for the bag, "Here youse open it." He gave it to Tack then looked out the window. 

Tack opened the bag and looked inside. She pulled on Spot's sleeve to get his attention. "Spot look at this." She held open the bag and Spot looked inside. Neither had been prepared for what they saw and both looked into the bag shocked and just a bit happier than the moment before. 

The children slept comfortably for a long time. They were the only ones in the car and what ever was being transported wasn't going to any of the stops that the train had made so far. It was Two Bit who woke up first. She slowly crawled over to Jolly and shook him. When he opened his eyes she said "I hungry." 

Jolly stared at her stupidly, "Go tell Tack." 

Two Bit shook him again, "Tack not here. I hungry." Her voice was annoyingly cheerful. 

"Go tell Spot then." Jolly said turning over to his side and tried to fall back asleep. 

"No Spot. No Tack. No anyone. I hungry." Two Bit went and knelt down in front of him. She took his cheeks in her hands and began to push them together. "I hungry I hungry I hungry." The sing song tune combined with the pushing on his face caused Jolly to finally sit up. 

He took the small girl into his arms and set her on his lap, finally remember where they were. "Listen Two Bit Ise don't got any food. Youse just gonna have to wait till wes can get some `kay?" 

Two Bit pursed her lips, "`Kay. Play with me?" She looked at him with her eyes saddened. 

"Fine what youse want to play?" Jolly asked trying not to wake the other two kids, he didn't need them asking for food too. 

"Horsie. Play horsie." Two Bit clapped her hands together. 

Jolly tried not to groan as he got down on his hands and knees and Two Bit climbed on. She dug her heals into his ribs causing him to wince. He walked around on his hands and knees trying to entertain the little girl and also wondering why they had brought her along. 

After a couple trips around the boxcar Jolly's knees were getting tired, it was time to move onto something else. He gently dropped Two Bit to the straw covered floor where she laid giggling. "More Jolly." 

"No, lets wake up Bait and Lacy `kay?" Two Bit sat up and nodded. 

They softly went over to where the other two were sleeping. Two Bit went over to Bait and began to shake him, "Up Bait. Time to get up. I hungry." She started her mantra over again. Bait groaned but sat up. Lacy some how had slept through all the noise and mayhem. The boys decided to let Two Bit wake up her sister in that she had already woken them up. They went over on the other side of the boxes to talk. 

"So what's youse plan Jolly?" Bait asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

"Ise guess wes go as far as we can. Hopefully wes can get out of here to get some food." 

"Yeah food would be good." Bait agreed. 

"Hey Bait, what is in these boxes?" Lacy came around the stack of boxes. 

"How am Ise gonna know Ise can't see through wood." "Yeah but there is something written on them." Lacy pointed to the stamp mark on the side she was looking at. 

Both Jolly and Bait looked at the box. "So what does it say?" Lacy looked at them expectantly, Two Bit was at her side with her thumb in her mouth. 

"It says crackers. Hey wes can eat those." Bait's eyes lit with joy, they had found food. 

"Yeah but who wants to eat them when wes don't got anything to drink." Jolly pointed out. 

"Don't ruin it Jolly wes got food." Bait shot a pointed look in Jolly's general direction, "Wes got half of our problem solved. Wonder what's in the rest of these boxes." Bait began climbing on the boxes reading the sides. 

"Hmm this is cloth, this one's some sort of containers. Well if it rains we got something to collect it in." He pulled at the top of the crate but it wouldn't come up. "Jolly is there something down there Ise can use to pry the lids off?" 

Jolly searched around shuffling his feet under the hay. He finally hit something, and pulled it up. It was a piece of metal with a sort of sharp tip. "This work?" He held it up for Bait to examine. 

"It'll do. Here give it too me and Ise get us our crackers and something to collect rain in for water." Bait reached down for it. He took it and began prying off the lids and taking out a couple of the milk cans, which is what they were. He put the lid back on and then went to the crate with the crackers. He repeated the procedure with that box. When he climbed down they now had food and something to drink from if it ever rained. They all sat down munching on the crackers pondering their next move. 


	5. Surprise

Hey hope you guys have been enjoying the chapters so far, before you go on to read more I have some stuff to share. Part of my mind wants to combine this story with my young Kit story. But I am still working out the kinks. So since there are still a lot of kinks to work out I am going to put the two stories up as is. But don't be surprised if you come and read this some time in the future and...well that it's all changed. Just a note from the ever crazy Josiahgirl now on to your regularly scheduled story.   
  
  
  
The countryside passed by quickly and watching it go past was making Kit sick to her stomach. She remembered she had packed a book and reached up to get it. Her legs stiffened and Kit reached down to rub out the cramp. She sat back down and attempted to read but the words didn't make any sense. They had been on the train for 2 days and were going to be reaching Chicago sometime in the next 3 hours.   
  
Kit hadn't left their seats except for personal needs and was now terribly bored. She stood up and stretched again, "I am gonna go for a walk." She told no one in particular and when no one responded she started down the aisle. It was a moving train and there weren't many places she could go. She picked a direction and headed off that way.   
  
Spot and Tack had spent most of the past two days figuring out how to search for the twins and the little girls. At each stop they got out and asked people at the station if they had seen any children around the station that they didn't recognize. No one had and Tack was starting to give up hope that they could be found.   
  
"What if they got off and no one saw them. They are so little Spot. What if they didn't make a train going this way. Spot they could be anywhere." Tack started to cry pulling her legs up to her chest and crying into her knees.   
  
Spot didn't deny her fears, as he wondered if it could be true. Bait and Jolly did have street smarts but they were still quite young. "They will be just fine Tack. Me nephews are smart boys. If they get lost they'll head for home."   
Tack's head came up at the nephews remark. "The twins are your nephews?"   
  
Spot looked surprised that he had revealed the secret he had been keeping for two years. "Yeah, well Ise think they's me sister's kids. See me sister and me weren't all that close and Ise found the twins in the street one night and I found out she died that same night. It was when they was 6 and Ise been raising them ever since. They don't know though. Actually no one knows, well except youse. Ise gonna tell Kit sooner or later, but Ise never had the chance."   
  
"Well wes gonna find Kit for sure so you can tell her then." Tack said a bit more self-assured than the moment before.   
"Yep, and Ise never gonna let her disappear again." Spot said more to himself than to Tack but she heard and smiled. They slipped into a silence and just sat watching the countryside go by.   
  
Kit entered a car just one back from her original car. The seats weren't as nice, they were more like wooden benches and it smelled of cigar smoke and unwashed bodies, among other things. She caught the attention of some men who were sitting at the front of the car. "Now what has we got here? Ain't you a bit lost missy?"   
"Nah she is looking for me ain't you sweetheart."   
  
Kit's lip moved up in disgust as she tried to move past the men, "Neither, Ise just stretching my legs." One of the men grabbed her arm and she pulled out of his grasp.   
  
"Well boys we got a live one here. Now come on baby we're nice guys. Come sit and tell us about yourself." He grabbed her arm and this time she couldn't get out of his grasp. She blindly reached out to scratch the man, "Ouch now that ain't nice." He grabbed her roughly pulling her down to sit next to him. Kit struggled against his arms and finally was able to lift her foot. She brought it down hard on his insole. He let her go and Kit stood up and began running toward the back of the car. An arm reached out and pulled Kit down onto a bench. She would have protested but lips over her mouth prevented it.   
  
Tack's attention was taken from the countryside when she heard the men in the front of the car jeering. She looked up to the front of the car, but all she could see through the hazy cigar smoke was the figure of a girl. She shuddered, the men had made some sly comments to her the first day, but had stopped when Spot had come up. She touched Spot's shoulder. "Spot should we go help the girl up there?"   
  
Spot broke his gaze from the window, "Huh? Nah the conductor has to come through eventually she'll be fine." The girl's yell stopped him, "Or maybe not." A male bellow and the sound of shoes running down the aisle soon followed it. Spot did the first thing that came to him, stepping out into the aisle he went up a couple of seats. As the girl came by he grabbed her bringing her down to the seat and began to kiss her. The girl tried to struggle but Spot held on tight, he wasn't going to let her go.   
  
The man stopped to talk to Tack, "You seen where my wife went off to?"   
"Nope didn't see any one I just woke up." Tack could smell the alcohol on his breath and figured he was too inebriated to have seen Spot grab the girl.   
  
The man shrugged and began to walk back to his seat. Tack got up and went over to the seat where Spot was sitting with the girl he had rescued. She tapped Spot on the shoulder, "Spot, he's gone you can let the girl up now." Spot shook his hand to wave Tack away and she stomped her foot. "Spot Conlon we are going to go get your girlfriend, I don't think this is how you should be acting with some girl you just met."   
  
Spot finally sat back from the girl and looked up at Tack, "If youse don't mind Tack Ise telling my goil hello and Ise rather do it in private."   
Tack looked at the blushing girl and she saw what Spot had seen when the girl had come running up the aisle. "Kit." She went and gave her friend a hug, making it a group hug in the process.   
  
Kit finally got over her surprise, "What are you guys doing here? Not that I mind or anything."   
  
"Wes came looking for youse Kit." Spot said holding her close as if he was afraid to risk losing her again if he let go. Kit seemed content to stay where she was. Tack sat down across from them, and pursed her lips.   
  
"We didn't just come to look for you though Kit." When she saw Kit's confused look she lowered her eyes. "The twins and the little girls took off looking for you. We hoped they jumped the train you were on, but as this is obviously your train I guess not."   
  
"What? The twins are looking for me?" Kit looked a bit confused and worried.   
"Yeah, they took off the night youse left; but wes didn't realize it till really late. Wes came after them as soon as we realized." Spot looked down at their entwined hands.   
  
"Well they have to be on this train, it was the first one to leave the station that morning." Kit said with some certainty.   
"So where youse keeping youse selves?" Spot asked.   
"The next car up. This train gets to Chicago soon, wanna come on up? Mills will be glad to see people." Kit suddenly stood up and started to drag Spot and Tack down the aisle.   
  
"Hey let me get our stuff." Tack called as she went back for their bags. Kit stopped and Tack was soon back. They all headed back down the train car, stopping about 3 sets of benches back.   
"Stay out here till I come and get you okay?" Kit asked, "And don't come any nearer, it's gonna be a surprise."   
"It will be a surprise alright." Spot mumbled as Kit walked back up, much happier than when she had left.   
  
Mills looked up from the blanket she was making. "Well youse seem happier now. What did youse see on your walk?."   
Kit sat down and started her story. "Well see I went walking and as I entered this car a drunk man tried to put some moves on me." This brought Swan and Cray to attention, Kit waved off their concerned looks, "Let me finish, anyway I was able to get away from him because another guy saw what was happening and grabbed me and started kissing me."   
  
"He did what!?" Cray looked ready to kill someone.   
"OH don't worry it was someone I knew so anyway we had a good talk and I invited him and his friend to come back here so you could thank them for saving me from getting hurt."   
  
"I'd like to thank him alright." Cray mumbled.   
"Well then I'll go get him, be right back." Before they could protest Kit stood up and motioned to someone. "Cray, Swan, and Mills I would like you to meet my saviors, even though I think we all know them already."   
  
Spot and Tack sat down and were greeted by Mills' happy exclamation and Cray and Swan's looks of shock. "Spot and Tack came looking for me so there Cray." Kit put her arms around Spots middle and leaned against him quite proud of herself.


	6. More Surprises

The 1st passenger car of the New York City train bound for Chicago was somewhat silent as Cray and Swan stared at their visitors in shock. The silence didn't last long as Kit began to laugh at the surprised looks of her cousins. "Cray come on snap out of it. It's just Spot and Tack." Kit sat in the protective arms of her boyfriend, looking at her cousins shocked faces.  
  
"Ise can't believe it, Spot Conlon why in the world did youse come after this goil? She is nothing but trouble." Mills was the first to respond and she did so with total jesting and a wink.  
  
"Well youse know my nephews are mighty attached to their teacher. Ise couldn't just let her go." Spot answered, which caused everyone but Tack to look at him with surprise.  
  
"N-n-nephews?" Mills got out.  
  
"Yes Miss Stutters, nephews. At least Ise think they are. They're the right age and stuff. Me sister never introduced me to her kids but Ise knew she had twins. She died the same day wes found Bait and Jolly in the street."  
  
"Don't call me Stutters Mr. Conlon. Youse remember what happened to the last guy that did that?" Mills spit back, her cheeks flushed with anger.  
  
Cray grabbed a hold of his fiancé's arm, "Now Mills don't hurt him, for all you know he could end up family."  
  
Mills gave Cray a dirty look, "Well Spot just don't call me Stutters got it?"  
  
"Fine, no more stutters, even though it did fit youse." Spot said. Mills lunged at him but was caught by Cray and Swan.  
  
"Mills calm down you can throw him off the train later." When Mills had slightly calmed down Swan released her arm, "So what is with the name anyway?"  
  
Spot looked at Mills for permission to tell the story. She barely nodded her head as she sat down in Cray's lap. Everyone else sat down too. "Well the nickname, which Ise ain't gonna repeat came from when Mills first came to the Manhattan newsies. See she disguised herself as a boy and when she lowered her voice she stuttered. Mush figured it was a good name and she was called it till they's realized she was a goil. Jack let her pick a new one after that. She chose Mills."  
  
Kit looked at Mills as if trying to picture her dressed as a guy. "I can't picture you as a guy Mills."  
  
"Ise cut me hair and Ise wasn't as.developed." Mills explained.  
  
"So how did they figure out you was a girl?" Cray leaned his chin on her shoulder.  
  
"Ise kinda got knocked out during a fight with the Delancy's and they found out when they took me to the doctor to get fixed up." Mills blushed but didn't elaborate.  
  
"Ise gotta tell youse, when Jacky-boy found out he was not a happy camper. When he found out that Kloppman, Medda and her cousin Bryon knew he flipped out." Spot reminisced.  
  
Mills smiled slightly, "Only cause Ise made him flip over the bed when Ise hit him." She saw Kit's confused look and guessed correctly that it was mirrored on Cray, Swan and Tack's faces. "Jack was the reason Ise got put in the Refuge for two years. The warden was chasing him and since Ise was running at the same time Ise got caught when Jack went under a table. Ise vowed that Ise was gonna soak him if Ise ever got the chance." She shrugged, "Ise did too. The only time Ise ever got to soak him too."  
  
"I always wanted to do that," Kit mused.  
  
"OH really?" Spot looked at her surprised.  
  
"Yeah Jack always seemed so full of himself. If I could have soaked him I think I would feel a lot better." Kit said leaning her head on Spot's shoulder.  
  
"Youse can have the chance when wes go home." Spot assured her. "So what are wes gonna do about the twin and little girl problem?"  
  
"What problem would that be Spot?" Cray asked.  
  
"Well see the twins and Tack's sisters decided to come get Kit on their own. Wes figure they got ta be on this here train somewhere but wes don't know where."  
  
"Maybe they's on a boxcar somewhere." Mills suggested.  
  
"How do youse supposed wes find that out." Spot looked at the smaller girl.  
  
"Ise don't know just wait till they get found Ise guess. Ise mean they got ta unload everything in Chicago any way."  
  
"Well how we gonna pay for their tickets if we do find them. We only got enough to pay for tickets for ourselves out to Nebraska." Swan pointed out.  
  
"Youse said wes got enough for 2 other people, Ise thought." Mills countered. "And little kids don't cost the same as wes do."  
  
"Well wes got some money to pay for what ever youse can't pay for." Spot spoke up from the other end of the car. He motioned for Tack to give him the small bag that Kosei had given him. "Wes just got to sell this stuff, that's all." He spoke as he opened the bag and dumped out 2 rings and a necklace along with a lot of coins. "Kosei gave this to us said wes could use it."  
  
The rings and necklaces were the same ones that Kit had found the night she had gone through boxes at the bunkhouse. "There is a lot of money here, almost 10 bucks, plus some of the coins are really old and are probably worth something to someone. Ise wanna keep the rings and necklaces if wes can though. Kosei might want them back still." Spot stated as he put it all back into the bag and put in around his neck. He thought about something then pulled another cord from around his neck, and put it around Kit's neck. "Ise wanna give this to youse before Ise forget."  
  
Kit picked up the end of the necklace, it was a key, "What is it for?"  
  
Spot leaned over and whispered into her ear. "It's the key to me heart." Kit blushed but leaned back against his shoulder murmuring a low "oh."  
  
Unfortunately all tender moments come to an end and theirs was interrupted by a not so discrete cough. "Hey we are in Chicago and we got ta get off the train." Swan said trying not to look at either Spot or Kit, knowing they were sending him death looks. Every one gathered their things and they soon disembarked the train. Cray and Spot went to go buy more tickets while the girls and Swan waited to see what would happen when the boxcars were unloaded.  
  
On the boxcar the children felt the train come to a stop. It had rained the first night they spent in the car and they had been conserving water the entire trip. They hid behind the boxes as they had every time the train had stopped. They stayed hidden as they heard the doors being opened.  
  
"So Mac I hear Chicago winters can get rough."  
  
"Yeah Sam real rough. Good thing we still got a couple of months, even though it has been getting cold. This stuff will be good though, my wife told me to make sure I got us a milk can, said ours was starting to leak something awful."  
  
"Hey what's this? Mac this box's been opened."  
  
"So has this one. You don't think there may be someone in this car do you?"  
  
"Yeah I wonder. Hey there's a good hiding place here."  
  
"It's really small though, hey is that a shoe?"  
  
"Hey you come out here now."  
  
The laborers saw the shoe go under the hay and decided to go after it. One reached in and quickly retracted his hand. "Something bit me."  
  
"Well it ain't a rat bite too big, I think there's kids in there."  
  
Two hands plunged in and pulled out Two Bit who began to scream. Her extraction brought Jolly out swinging whom Bait and Lacy soon followed.  
  
"Hey Mac they're kids all under 10. Who are you kid."  
  
"Give me back me sister." Jolly demanded.  
  
"Nope not till you tell me who you are."  
  
"Not telling Ise want me sister." Jolly grabbed for Two Bit but the man pulled her out of his reach.  
  
"Hey Sam that's a New York accent. I bet you these kids got on in the city."  
  
"Wes just playing hide and seek and the goils climbed in, we climbed in after them. Then the door slammed shut. Where's Spot." Bait started to cry which started Lacy and Two Bit. Jolly stood stoically waiting for Sam to put Two Bit down.  
  
"I'll take these children sir." Swan came up behind the laborer's putting his finger to his lips before the children could call out his name. "I am sure they will get back to their Spot."  
  
The laborer named Mac looked at Swan. "Sure take them, maybe they'll shut up for you."  
  
"Come on children, we will make sure you have some food then we'll make sure you get home." Swan took Two Bit from Sam's arms and took Lacy's hand.  
  
"Hold it mister, Ise forgot something." Jolly halted Swan's movement toward the girls as he went back quickly to the boxcar. He climbed up and soon was back with 2 small packs of clothing. "Can't forget this." Swan tried not to smile at the looks of surprise on the laborer's faces as he led the kids off to their respective caretakers. 


	7. The Kids are Back in Town

The girls watched Swan walk off before turning to each other and beginning to talk. "So Mills you and Cray looked awful close." Tack teased the small raven-haired girl who succeeded to keep from blushing.  
  
"Well you know Tack that happens when couples get engaged, they forget about the rest of the world." Kit piped up.  
  
Mills saw an opening, "Kinda like youse and Spot right?" Kit opened her mouth to respond but found she really couldn't and began laughing instead. Mills and Tack soon joined in. Their laughter turned to shouts of delight when Swan brought his 4 charges around the corner. Bait and Jolly ran to Kit almost knocking her down in their exuberance as Lacy ran to her older sister. Two Bit squirmed to get down from Swan's arms and was happily handed over to Tack. There were lots of hugs given and everyone talked at once. Swan shepherded the small group off to the side of the platform out of the eyes of the public so that the scolding could be given in private.  
  
Spot and Cray walked in relative silence to the ticket office. The line to the window was pretty long and Cray started the conversation that he had been forming in his mind since he first saw Spot on the train. "So Conlon, I don't have to tell you to treat her right do I?"  
  
Spot looked at the other man, "Nah Ise don't need to be told, but if it makes youse feel like youse done something go ahead." He motioned for Cray to continue.  
  
"Well I ain't gonna repeat what I said back in Brooklyn, that would be pointless. I just want you to know that I respected the way you reacted to everything that's happened. Not many guys would have the guts to come after a girl when he finds out all the stuff you know about Kit."  
  
Spot looked a bit surprised, this wasn't what he was expecting. "Well that stuff that happened in Bal'more and the fact that she's youse cousin not youse sister don't change nothing."  
  
"Good, I needed to hear that. Guess I should let you in on this, Mills and me are getting married." Cray smiled a bit and almost fell over when Spot slapped him on the back.  
  
"Well Ise not that surprised but congratulations." Both young men smiled at each other, "So how do youse wanna divide up the tickets. Ise think wes shouldn't get the kids tickets till wes know they's on the train."  
  
"I got to agree with you there. We can get four now, then if we find the kids Swan can get all 4 of those and the other two. Plus that give us some time to sell the coins you got." Spot nodded in agreement and stepped out of line as Cray got up to the ticket window.  
  
"I'd like to get seats for the next train to Omaha Nebraska. I am going to be getting 4 of the tickets now then two adult tickets and 4 children's tickets before the train pulls out." Cray stated to the station employee behind the counter.  
  
The man looked at the schedule to see when the next train would be leaving. "The next train to Omaha leaves at 6 tonight. You really have the dough for 10 tickets?" The man was skeptical that such a young man would have the finances.  
  
A muffled shout was heard from the platform and Cray picked out Kit's excited squeal along with the squeals of children. He smiled as he went back to talking to the employee. "Yes my wife and I along with my brother, our sister and their spouses and our children are all going to see our father for the last time. My father has never seen his grandchildren and we felt this was the best time for that."  
  
"So you are going to need 6 adult tickets and how many children under 12?" The man was adding up the numbers there.  
  
"Well lets see there is Peter and my John, and of course Rachel and little Becky. That I believe is four children's tickets." Cray answered counting off the children on his fingers.  
  
"Your tickets will come to total of 10 dollars. $1.30 for each adult ticket and $.50 for each child's, plus tax." The man said quickly.  
  
Cray reached into his pocket and took out the last remaining bills, "Well let's see I have 5.50 here."  
  
Swan came up and tapped him on the shoulder. "Now Crale I can't have you paying for all these tickets on youse own. Here is the rest of the money for me, Jessie and the girls." Swan placed the last 4.50 on the counter. The man gave the two young men their tickets. Cray gave Spot the last two children's tickets, and two of the adult tickets, while keeping the last two for himself.  
  
  
  
To say that the twins were happy to see Kit would have been an understatement. Both boys vied for her attention and to sit on her lap. As the guys came up this brought more pandemonium as the twins ran to see Spot. The lap problem finally solved as Spot and Kit sat next to each other with a boy on each lap. Tack sat with Two Bit falling asleep in her lap and Lacy telling her all about their trip in a boxcar loudly in her ear.  
  
Swan finally sat down and pulled Lacy into his lap. "Now Miss Lacy your sister needs a bit of a rest. You can't keep talking her ear off now can you? So tell me what was it like riding in a boxcar with the boys? Did they treat you right?"  
  
Lacy looked at the boys before nodding. "Yeah they made sure me and Bit got stuff to eat, even though crackers are nasty and they made sure our water lasted us till we got here."  
  
Bait hearing this turned to Spot, "Yeah wes took good care of them, but Spot Ise hungry." His stomach growled in agreement, which brought smiles to the older kid's faces.  
  
"Well guess that means wes need to go find all of us some food." They all stood up and began walking into downtown Chicago chatting. The little boys kept their eyes out for a restaurant searching for the perfect place.  
  
"Spot let's go there." Jolly tugged on Spot's sleeve and pointing at a small outdoor café. Swan went to check out the prices and after seeing they were reasonable motioned the group over. The waiters looked a bit surprised to see such a large group of poorly dressed people coming to their restaurant and were hesitant to give them a table. Spot pulled out the last of the paper money they had.  
  
"Well gentleman, if youse don't want our business wes be happy to take it else where. Would youse be so kind to point out youse nearest competitor?" The headwaiter reluctantly had two bus boys shove two tables together and showed the rag-tag group to their tables.  
  
Tack turned to Swan, and picking a snooty name out of thin air started talking; "You would think, James they wouldn't turn away potential customers that are sure to order a lot would you?"  
  
"There, there dear. We aren't exactly dressed in our best. If they knew we were Vanderbilts they wouldn't have acted so crudely." Cray patted Mills arm as she pretended to sniffle.  
  
The children hid their snickers well as they watched the young adults put on a wonderful show. The headwaiter heard both Tack and Cray's comments and soon their service was much better. The older girls tried to keep straight faces as they heard the whispers around the café. So how they made it through the meal without any incidents got the bill paid.  
  
They were almost back to the train station when Kit broke out laughing. "I can't believe they think that we were the Vanderbilts. Did you see the face of the waiter when you said that Cray?"  
  
"Yeah, at least we got good service out of that." Cray said with a shrug as they walked up to their train and got on, going to their car.  
  
"Well you know this is gonna be a long train ride, and I know 4 little people that need to sleep." Tack said as she lead in a yawning Two Bit.  
  
Lacy tried to protest, "I'm not.*yawn* sleepy." Bait and Jolly nodded sleepily in agreement.  
  
"Well youse don't have to sleep but youse got ta at least lay youse heads down on our laps after the train starts got it?" Mills suggested as she sat down across from Tack taking Lacy into her lap. They finally got situated in two sets of seats across the main aisle from each other. Cray sat next to Mills with Lacy lying across their laps. Two Bit wouldn't be moved from Tack's arms so Tack sat on the opposite bench next to Swan. On the other side of the aisle the seating Spot and Kit shared a seat while the twins curled up on the opposite seat.  
  
The kids were all out before the first 20 minutes had passed. The girls drifted off one at a time, Tack first leaning her head slightly on Swan's shoulder, while Mills and Kit struggled violently before drifting off. The guys talked amongst themselves but after the conductor had passed by for the night soon leaned back in their seats and were soon sawing logs like pros. 


	8. The Eternal Why game

Kit was the first to wake up, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see Spot's face. She slowly sat up wondering where they were and why Kosei hadn't woken them up. The amount of sunlight that was shinning in from the window told her it was mid-morning at the earliest. This had been the latest she had slept in a long time and she wanted to know why around her she heard snores. She finally rolled off the bench and slowly stood and stretched, barely missed kicking Spot's sprawled legs. Then it hit her she was on a train heading to the only place she never wanted to return to, home.  
  
She looked at the others who were still sleeping. She didn't want to sit back into the bench she had been sleeping on. She slid to the floor near the window. For the first time in over six months thought back to why she had been so instant on leaving home in the first place.  
  
Her memories of the good times spent with Josh and Jeremy. Her first date, first kiss, first heartbreak came flooding back. Josh had been her best friend and then he left, blaming her for what happened to Jeremy, swearing that he would never talk to her again. Jeremy who had stood by her against the Johnson boys and was now going to pay for it everyday for the rest of his life. Memories of Sid, her uncle, also came. He had thrown her out of his life and now she was going back to face him. Face the memories.  
  
She shook her head no need to go down that path before she had to, and having to was at least another 2 days away. She sat up on her knees and turned around to look out the window. It was almost harvest time, the wheat and corn fields that the train passed were golden brown in the morning sun. She watched the scenery pass not thinking of anything. She was totally out of it not even noticing when the others started to wake up.  
  
Jolly was the first to wake up and his moving around woke up Bait. Almost immediately they began to whine about food. Their whining woke up Spot who threw his shirt at them in an unsuccessful effort to shut them up. The boys threw the shirt across to aisle landing on Two Bit, causing her to scream in Tack's ear. Tack sat straight up bumping the underside of Swan's chin. Swan's head flew back and hit the bench with a thump.  
  
That thump woke up Cray and Mills who had up till then slept through it all. Tack passed Two Bit to the other couple then held up 3 fingers in front of Swan's face. "How many fingers?"  
  
"3 fingers."  
  
"What is today?"  
  
"Today is the day after yesterday."  
  
"Okay you got a headache?"  
  
"Of course I just hit my head hard on the bench."  
  
After that statement the fighting began again, at least until Kit yelled, "All right next person to throw a punch or yell anything is not getting any meals until after we get to Lincoln in 3 days got it?" That shut everyone up. Cray, Swan and Mills stared at Kit in surprise, they never thought she would actually be reduced to threatening anyone. Spot jumped up from his seat and went to grab his shirt.  
  
Lacy handed it to him and after putting it on he took a hold of Kit's arm. "No one move till wes get back with breakfast." He pulled her out of the compartment and they walked to the dinning car. On the walk way between the two cars Spot pulled Kit off to the side.  
  
"Morning Kit. Youse sleep well?" Spot asked as he pulled her close.  
  
Kit rested her head on his shoulder, "I was doing great till everyone started waking up."  
  
Spot nodded, "Youse okay?"  
  
"I'll be fine, I just am anxious to get to Nebraska then head back home."  
  
Spot looked surprised, "Youse ain't acting like youse happy to be going back."  
  
"I am not happy just anxious, kinda dreading it. I'll be seeing people I haven't seen in a long time. One of them got really hurt because of me. I wonder if they'll even talk to me." Kit buried her head into Spot's shoulder as tears escaped from beneath her closed eyelids.  
  
"Just remember youse got me and if they don't wanna talk to youse it's their problem not youse." Spot said gently. They stood like that for a few minutes until Spot remembered the threat they had made. "Kit wes got to go get those guys their food."  
  
Kit's eyes widened in horror before she began to laugh. "They are gonna kill us."  
  
"Only if wes show up without anything." Spot said as they walked into the dinning car and bought some sandwiches.  
  
Swan looked ready to kill Spot as they got back to their seats, "What took so long?"  
  
"Hold your horses Swan, we just was talking that's all." Kit said as she handed out the sandwiches, "We gotta save our money, everyone gets half a sandwich." The sandwiches disappeared all too quickly, and the kids began to get restless.  
  
"Kit Ise bored." Jolly stood next to Kit tugging on her shirtsleeve.  
  
"Me too Kit." Bait chimed in.  
  
Kit looked at the boys, "Do you guys want me to read to you or something?"  
  
Both boys nodded, so Kit searched through her things pulling out a penny novel she had picked up at the stop in Pittsburgh. The boys sat down on either side, and the girls came to climb on her lap. She began reading, "Chapter 1. It was the best of times it was the worst of times."  
  
As Kit read to the kids the others sat around playing a game of poker. They were actually teaching Tack how to play but it did pass the time. Tack soon caught on and the games became pretty competitive even without any money being exchanged. It was around 3 when Kit noticed that the kids had all fallen asleep. "Pssttt hey you guys a little help here." Kit hissed not wanting to wake the sleeping children.  
  
No one seemed to have heard her so she spoke a bit louder. "Pssttt anyone, I could really use some help here, my arms are falling asleep. Fine then I'm gonna wake them and you can deal with the cranky kids." No one even flinched. "Spot Conlon, get your ass over here and move your nephews or so help me God."  
  
That finally got Spot's attention and he got up and taking first Lacy then Two Bit from her and moving them to the opposite bench. Kit stood up and brushed pass him before sitting on the bench. She then leaned against the wall and put her feet up on the seat before becoming totally absorbed in the book reading from where she had left off with the children. Spot sat back down and was dealt back into the card game.  
  
Tack and Mills woke the kids up about an hour later with the hope that they would fall asleep easier if they didn't sleep the day away. All to soon they were complaining of being bored and wanting something to do. "Cray wes bored." Jolly whined.  
  
"Then look out the window and count farm houses." Cray said exasperatedly.  
  
The kids started to count barns out loud. This seemed to keep them entertained for a while. "Spot why is those buildings red." Bait asked pointing out to the passing barns.  
  
"Because that is what color the people who owned them wanted to paint them." Spot said barely looking up from the current game of cards.  
  
"Why did they want to paint them red? It's such an ugly color." Lacy pointed out.  
  
"Because it stand out." Spot answered.  
  
"Why does it stand out?" Two Bit asked as she sat down next to Spot.  
  
"Because it is red."  
  
"But why not green or blue. They stand out." Jolly asked sitting down next to Cray and looking at his hand. "Those cards won't do you any good."  
  
Cray threw down his cards in disgust, which caused the other players to snicker. "Spot why didn't they's paint them barns green or blue?" Jolly hadn't forgotten his question.  
  
"Because they liked red."  
  
"Who would like red it is a yelky color." Lacy repeated with her nose scrunched up.  
  
"Some one who obviously didn't have youse taste in color that's who." Tack said tapping her sister's nose.  
  
"But why no blue?" Two Bit asked snuggling up to the leader of Brooklyn and starting to suck her thumb.  
  
"Because it would blend in with the sky." Kit said looking up from her book.  
  
The kids seemed to take this for an answer, until Jolly thought of another question to ask.  
  
"Kit why is the sky blue?"  
  
"Because it is." Kit sighed putting down her book.  
  
"But why is it blue? There has to be a reason." Bait said with a pout.  
  
Kit thought about it for a second, trying to come with an answer that would stop the questions. "Because the sun is shinning and making the normally black sky look blue."  
  
"So why is the sky black then?" Bait said as he came over and pulled her book down from in front of her face.  
  
"Because it's dark without the sunlight. Just like a room is dark when there aren't any candles or lanterns lit." Kit said trying to get back to reading.  
  
"Oh. Kit when wes gonna get to Nabasketa?"  
  
"We'll get there in two days." Kit said looking at the boy in front of her. "You are just full of questions aren't you?"  
  
"Yes it's cause no one is letten me play wit them." Bait said with a pout.  
  
Kit sat up and put her book down and grabbed the deck of cards out of her bag. "Come over here I'll teach you a new card game I played with my friends back home." She sat down gathering the kids around her as she began to teach them blackjack. The boys knew the game but enjoyed playing on teams with the little girls, who were still learning to count.  
  
Swan saw what Kit was teaching the kids and began to protest. "Kit do you really think they should learn to play blackjack?"  
  
"Now Swan you go back to playing poker this is teaching them how to count. Plus there is nothing wrong with Blackjack." Kit said as she looked at her hand.  
  
They played late into the night the girls cheering no matter who won while the boys played to win. Kit did receive some disproving looks from those passing by but kept playing until the kids began to nod off. The others helped her put them all in their respective seats this time splitting up the twins and putting the girls on their own seat.  
  
Then Kit made a pronouncement. "I am not entertaining them all by myself for the rest of this trip. In fact tomorrow I am planning on spending the entire day reading. It is my day off." She then went and curled up on the empty seat totally ignoring the shocked looks on everyone's faces.  
  
Mills and Tack discussed how to look after the girls, leaving the boys in the guys care. It was finally decided that Swan and Tack would look after Two Bit and Jolly while Mills and Cray looked after Bait and Lacy. They decided that Spot would try to talk to Kit to find out what was bugging her. They broke up then and went to find places to sleep.  
  
Spot sat down across from Kit watching her drift off before going up to the join in on a poker that was going on at the front of the car. The game was for money this time and the players underestimated the young man with the New York accent. The game ended just before dawn with Spot coming out on top, winning quite a bit of money from the very surprised businessmen. As he sat back on the bench that had been claimed by Kit he put her legs across his lap and pushed his hat in front of his eyes hoping to catch some sleep before the kids woke up. 


	9. How to get kids to behave with out reall...

AN: I'm back in full force. Hopefully I'll have this story done before Valentine's Day. Thanks to those who have reviewed. And now for a bit of RB: I get to go see the real Craig and Crale on Friday. I love vacation time. Anyway that is all. Here is the next part.  
  
  
  
Mills was the first to wake up the next morning. It had taken her a while to fall asleep with Cray snoring in her ear but she had finally managed it, at least until he snorted. Now she was awake and she really didn't want to be. Last night had been interesting but Kit did have a point. They had just pushed the kids off on her because she was so good with them. And Mills did admit to herself it had to do with the fact that taking care of the kids reminded her too much of the family she had lost 2 years before. But she wasn't going to dwell on that, this was a chance for a new start and she wasn't going to let that chance go to waste.  
  
Mills stood up, careful not to disturb either Jolly or Cray who were still asleep and went over to where her bag was searching for a washcloth to clean off some of the soot that had collected over the past week on the train. Her searching woke up Kit. "Oh Kit I'm sorry, didn't mean to wake youse up."  
  
Kit sat up and stretched, "That's okay, what are you looking for?"  
  
"A washcloth. I feel so gross." Mills said as she triumphantly pulled out what she was looking for. "Here it is. So what youse planning on doing today?"  
  
"Well hadn't really thought about it past reading, why?" Kit stood up seeing the mischievous look in Mills' eyes.  
  
"Why don't we get Tack and leave the guys with the kids?" Mills smiled deviously as she pointed to Tack.  
  
Kit bit back a grin as she nodded. She walked over to Tack and gently shook her trying not to wake up Swan or either of the little girls. When she opened her eyes Kit put a finger to her lips and motioned her to get up. Tack's eyes clouded with confusion as she extracted herself from the grasp of Two Bit. "Hey we're going to sorta leave the kids with the boys. Come on before they wake up." Tack's eyes lit in anticipation as the ladies snuck out leaving behind 3 guys and 4 children, the poor guys.  
  
The girls got out of the car without laughing and stepped into the dinning car giggling. "Can youse believe it? Wes got out of there and they ain't gonna expect a thing." Mills commented as they went to sit at a table near the other end of the car.  
  
"I almost wish I could be there to see the guys' faces." Kit stopped for a second, "Almost. So what we gonna do since we have the morning to ourselves?"  
  
"I feel like just taking my time and relaxing. No amount of persuading is getting me back to those seats before I have to. I know let's play Spill.*" Tack said as she began to dig into her food. Both Kit and Mills nodded in agreement. "So Kit how good a kisser is Spot, spill."  
  
Kit felt her cheeks redden; "Now why would I tell you how good a kisser my guy was?"  
  
"Cause youse been avoiding the question and wes both wanna know." Mills supplied around a bite of toast.  
  
"He has been the most wanted guy in all of Brooklyn and I don't think his looks were the only reason for that." Kit pointed out, trying to avoid the question.  
  
"That don't answer the question Kit. Now spill." Mills looked at her friend pointedly.  
  
"He's a thjlkjdn" Kit mumbled.  
  
"I didn't quite hear you Kit." Tack teased watching Kit get redder.  
  
"He's a 10 okay? Happy now you know how good a kisser he is my turn." Kit looked between the two of her friends trying to figure out who would have a better story to tell. "Alright Mills I wanna know how the guys found out you were a girl, spill."  
  
It was Mills' turn to blush, "Fine I'll tell you. I got found out after my first run in with the Delancy's. The guys to me to this doctor, don't know how they was gonna pay for it and then they found out Ise a goil and they flipped. Took a while for me to win back their trust. If Ise known goils could be newsies it wouldn't had been so bad." Mills decided to get the attention off of her and turned to Tack, "My turn, Ise gonna spare Kit from reviling any more details, yet. So Tack why youse have so much trouble looking guys in the face? Spill."  
  
Tack had a feeling this question was going to come sooner or later, but still was a bit flustered. "Well um, I guess it has to do with my father. He was half Cherokee and his father had expected all females to show proper respect to the men. Well my father felt the same way so he drilled it into my mother and me for as long as I can remember. I don't think I ever looked him in the eye ever. He also had a temper and was mad about my mother giving him three girls instead of sons like he wanted. One night he had got really drunk and started hitting me.  
  
After he passed out my mother made a decision and made me get together all we could carry between the two of us then we took the girls and left. We came to the city because my mother had lived here as a child and remembered being happy here. But she got really sick last winter and died less than a month ago. So now here I am 15 and raising two little girls. I am glad to get out of the city though, I don't all the buildings and people." Tack shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her plate wondering what her friends were thinking.  
  
Kit was the first to talk, "I never thought how crowded the city really was till now. But I still don't want to go back."  
  
Tack looked up curious, "Why? I still can't believe you came to the city, I would have done anything to stay back on our mountain, if my father wasn't there anymore I mean."  
  
Kit looked down at her plate, "I have a lot of bad memories and things associated with home. Funny I still call it home even though I don't want to go back. Part of the reason I don't want to go back is because of a guy."  
  
Both Mills and Tack had trouble keeping the shocked looks off their faces. "Yeah there is a guy back home, we were engaged and stuff, but before I left he broke it off. His name is Jeremy, but we all called him Buddha. The summer before I left I had some trouble with these two guys, Shoe and Frost. Shoe wanted to date me and I said no, so one night he and Frost jumped Jeremy and me as we was coming home from a date. They soaked him good and Jeremy's brother Josh blamed me for it.  
  
Well after that I had gone back to my uncle's farm, but when Cray came to get me to see Jeremy my uncle threw me out. He never approved of Jeremy or of me working as a newsie in town. Said it wasn't proper. Well after me and Cray got back into town I saw Jeremy and he said that he no longer loved me and didn't want to marry me anymore. And the next day Cray, Swan and I all split town.  
  
I am worried about what Jeremy is going to do if I show up with a boyfriend, and what my uncle is going to say to me. I saw the telegram, he is only asking for the guys, not me. I guess I am a bit anxious, but who knows it might all work out anyway."  
  
Mills looked down at her plate, "Kit I didn't realize that your troubles had started before Baltimore. Well if youse don't want to go out to the farm I'd be happy to stay with youse in town."  
  
"So would I, I am not sure I want to meet your uncle, even if he is the guy's father."  
  
"Sid isn't a horrible man. I know he loved me in some odd fashion, otherwise he wouldn't have been so worried, but he has ideas about life that he won't change. That is probably why we never really got along." Kit explained before changing the subject, "Well I am done, and it is almost noon. Want to go see how the guys are thriving back there?"  
  
Mills broke into a wicked smile and Tack nodded in agreement, "Sure why not." The girls left the money for their meal on the table and headed back to their seats. They all felt a bit closer now and were feeling quite relaxed from a morning without the guys or the children screaming in their ears.  
  
What waited for them back at their seats was a shock. Instead of three exhausted guys and four bored children they found four children crowded around Cray who was reading and Spot and Swan playing war. The two guys playing cards were happy to include the girls and soon they were playing poker. The afternoon went well, the kids still asked their why questions, but they didn't whine about being bored or fight amongst themselves. The girls were amazed until it was time to put the kids to bed.  
  
"Spot." Jolly motioned for the older boy to come over then asked in a stage whisper. "When do wes get our nickels?"  
  
Kit heard the question and looked at Spot waiting for his answer.  
  
"Jolly youse not supposed to say anything." Spot tried unsuccessfully to dodge Kit's questioning look.  
  
"Jolly what did the guys promise you nickels for?" Kit sat down on Jolly's bench and pulled him into her lap.  
  
"Well after they saw youse goils was gone they told us if wes behaved and didn't whine or ask to many questions wes could get a nickel each."  
  
Kit fought to keep a smile off her face, "Oh really. Well you know what. If you all behave until we get to off the train you'll get a nickel each day we have left. But if not, Spot still owes you guys your nickel for today. Sound good to all of you?"  
  
All of the kids nodded while Spot looked a bit put out.  
  
"Now Spot you told these kids if they behaved they would get a nickel, they behaved they deserve their nickel. So if they continue to behave why can't they get more nickels? I am not sure I like bribing them to behave but it is better than the alternative. Ain't it?"  
  
"yeah sure. You aren't the one out the money."  
  
"Should have thought of that before hand." Kit smirked before settling down on her bench next to Bait. Spot glared but didn't say anything more as the kids all drifted off to sleep. 


	10. And they would be?

A/N: See I can actually update this story, just takes me a while. Hey to anyone who is reading this, I think I have about another couple of chapters left in this story to write. I am about done with Snapshots of a Memory also so expect an update on that one in the next month. Then I'll be taking a break. I have been working on this story line since June and I can't wait to have an ending. To think this was only supposed to be a couple pages, I laugh at my naivete now. So as you all know I don't own the newsies, just all my characters, of which there are a lot. So anyway enjoy the story and don't forget to review.  
  
  
  
The last day of the trip went by quickly. Kit spent most of the morning pretending to read. In actuality she was watching Spot deal with the twins. Entertaining two eight year old boys in a confined space kept him on his toes but he had done a good job. The morning was uneventful until the conductor came walking through the car.  
  
"We're at Nebraska. First stop will be Omaha, Valley, Fremont, Wahoo, Lincoln and all points west."  
  
Kit looked up from her book when she felt Spot looking at her. "Yeah Spot?"  
  
"Well the kids are wondering, how much longer do wes got?" When Kit looked at the twins they were both nodding in agreement.  
  
Kit looked at her watch then outside the window looking for something familiar. "Well with all the stops and stuff, we'll get to Lincoln around dark."  
  
"But that is hours from now Kit." Bait came and sat next to her and pouted.  
  
"I know but I can't do nothing about it. The guys were the ones that forgot to get express tickets. But I'll bet we can get out at Omaha for a bit to stretch. That will make the last part of the trip better right?"  
  
"Yeah Ise guess so." Bait got back down and went over to Jolly. They looked as if they were discussing something as Spot came to take Bait's seat.  
  
"Youse nervous ain't you?"  
  
"Of course, but I'll be okay, it's not like I am going in facing it all on my own. I have you and Mills and Tack. It can't be that bad."  
  
"That's right youse got me, and don't forget the twins. Ise don't think they'd let anyone hurt youse, if anything they'll bite the guy." Spot smirked a bit of sarcasm laced in his voice.  
  
Kit had to smile at the idea of the twins biting Sid or Josh and after Spot saw her smile his grin got bigger. Kit gently smacked his arm before snuggling into his side and going back to her book. Spot got more comfortable on the seat and rest his chin on Kit's head and was soon asleep snoring in Kit's ear. Kit rolled her eyes as Spot snorted in her ear but soon was absorbed in the story of the First French Revolution.  
  
Neither Kit nor Spot got off the train at any of the stops between Omaha and Wahoo, Kit was too into her book while Spot slept on. Mills had kept an eye on the twins for Kit and the rest of the day went by quickly. Kit looked up from her book as the conductor came through the car announcing, "Next stop Lincoln, Nebraska. We will be stopped for an hour. Please remember to be back on the train if you plan on continuing west to Grand Island, Santa Fe, and San Francisco."  
  
Kit nudged Spot in his side. "Come on Spot wake up we're almost there and I need to get my stuff together."  
  
Spot jerked a bit as he woke up, "Huh, Kit where are we?"  
  
"We got 15 minutes left on this contraption and I plan on getting off, and I am not leaving you behind." Kit got up and stretched her back out before putting her book in her small bag. She then began looking around their seats for anything the twin or girls may have dropped, not wanting to leave behind trash or some toy.  
  
Spot had also gotten up and moved to where the twins were sitting with the girls. He bent down to be eye level with them and began to discuss things with them. He then pulled out the money he owed them and stood up, ruffling their hair. Both Jolly and Bait had huge smiles as they began to plot how to spend their newfound wealth. The girls got up and showed Tack their money. Tack took a nickel from each of the girls but let them keep one.  
  
Soon they felt the train slow to a stop and after gathering their belongings stepped off the train and onto the platform. Kit put down her bag and stopped to look around the platform. Mills and Tack came over to her, "You okay?"  
  
"I think so, I never thought I'd be back, least not this soon."  
  
"Yeah Ise can…" What ever Mills was going to say was drowned out by the loud voice of a newsie.  
  
"Councilman Johansen seen with another woman." Kit looked around for the source of the headline and her eyes soon fell on a 10 year-old boy. The boy saw her glance and came over, "Buy a paper from a poor kid ma'am. My sister is so sick and my mother needs every penny I earn to pay for her medicine." He looked up at her so adoringly but his look was soon changed to fear when Swan came up and laid a hand on Tack's shoulder.  
  
"Now Jason, we both know your sister ain't any closer to dying than I am. And I know for a fact that she would tan your backside for saying such a whopper. As for your mother, Christine has raised you since you were no bigger than a pup."  
  
Jason looked at Swan in shock, "How'd ya know that?"  
  
"You mean you can't tell who I am Jason, and to think I always said you were the smartest of newsie in the city." Swan lifted his eyebrow and looked at Jason skeptically.  
  
"Swan, but how in the world. We all thought you had left for good. Oh wait ya back cause of ya pop right?"  
  
"What do you know of my pop?"  
  
"Just that he is sicker than anything. So you back to pay ya respects?"  
  
"Yes we all are. Here I see you have one paper left, I'll buy it from ya and you get home to ya sister she has got to be worried sick."  
  
Jason smile up at the guy he considered his hero and held out his last paper. Swan paid for it and hoisted Two Bit, who had been hanging onto his leg, up on his shoulders.  
  
"So Swan who was the councilman seen with?" Kit asked coriousity filling her eyes.  
  
"Let's see the headline reads, "It's a Girl. Councilman Johansen and his family welcomed the newest edition to their clan, a baby girl. She weighed 7 lbs and 13 oz. Her mother, Grace Roland is the Councilman's only daughter. Mother and daughter are doing fine at home."  
  
"I pity the guy who married Gracie Johansen, this Roland guy must be from out of town." Cray couldn't help commenting.  
  
Kit grunted her accent as they all began walking in the general direction of town, all the while Swan and Cray pointing out different landmarks. Their progress caught the attention of the passer-bys, some who recognized Swan or Cray and other who were curious about the group of people walking down main street. After a short walk they were standing at the small gate leading to the Jacobson's house.  
  
"Well Kit you going to go in or what?" Cray looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Why should it be me. Why can't you go in?" Kit shot back.  
  
"Cause you and Karen are closer that's why." Kit rolled her eyes and hitched a sleepy Lacy in her arms before heading up to the door, everyone else following.  
  
After heaving a big sigh, Kit raised her hand and knocked. Through the door Kit heard Karen calling out, "Coming, Joel do you know who would be here at this hour?"  
  
"No idea dear."  
  
Kit heard nothing then the door opened and there stood Karen. They stared at each other for a moment before Karen squealed loudly and pulled Kit into the house, slamming the door on the others on the porch. Cray and Swan started to snicker as they heard Karen scold Kit for not at least telegraming them. They also heard Joel come out to the hallway and ask where everyone else was.  
  
He soon opened the door to let the rest of the weary travelers in, shaking hands with Cray and Swan and asking for introductions to the rest of the guest. "So Crale who have you brought with you?"  
  
"Well Joel, I'd like you to meet my fiancée Kaitlyn O'Riely. This is Jessie Malone and her two sisters, Becca who Craig has there on his shoulders and Rachel who Ami has."  
  
Joel shook hands with Mills and Tack before turning to the guys. "And they would be?"  
  
"Well two smaller ones are Bait and Jolly, I have no clue what they are really called and the taller, not so small one is Spot Conlon, he and Ami are a couple, and come to think of it I don't know his name is either."  
  
Spot held out his hand to Joel, "Robert Conlon and these two are my nephews Andrew and Christopher. Nice to meet you Joel. And Cray Ami is my fiancée." Spot's voice held just a bit of pride.  
  
"Same here Spot?" Joel quirked his eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah Spot, my younger sister thought our pop was calling me Spot when he really was saying Sport, it kinda stuck."  
  
"I see." Joel nodded, before turning to his wife, "You know Karen we don't have to stand here in the entry way for the entire town to see. Let's go out to the kitchen or into the living room." Joel gently guided Karen by the elbow into the kitchen. Kit and Swan exchanged a look and barely contained their laughter. Spot looked at Kit a bit confused as he put his arm around her shoulder.  
  
"I'll explain it later, what do you think of them?"  
  
"Joel seems a bit suspicious of me but sides that they seem nice." Kit grinned up at him as they entered the kitchen. Karen was buslting around looking for something to feed them and pushing the girls out of the way when they offered to help. "Sit, sit. You are guests here so just sit relax. Now Kit as I was saying, you should see your sisters, they are doing so well in school, both are near the top of their class. Wil is doing well too, he graduates next spring and you would think Joel had something to do with it all, he has been busting buttons all over the place talking about him. I can't believe you have been gone for a year, so what all has been happening with you?"  
  
"Nothing much, we left here and went to Chicago for a bit, then left and ended up in New York City." Kit evaded the question, none of the others were going to dispute her shortened story.  
  
"Oh I see well where am I going to put you all…I guess the girls can go in Caroline's room and the boys can share with Markie. You girls don't mind sharing your old room, Ami do they? Then the guys here can stay in Craig's old room. Caroline's old room is at the top of the stairs where Jeremy slept and Markie sleeps in Crale's old room."  
  
Everyone nodded and as they had finished eating went to put their bags up in their rooms. Ami walked next to Karen and finally got the guts to ask her the question that had been bugging her all evening, "Karen who sleeps in the room that Josh slept in?"  
  
Before Karen could answer a voice behind them answered for her, "I do." 


	11. You would think they would know another ...

"I do." Kit felt her stomach drop to her knees and the color drain out of her face. She slowly turned around balancing the sleeping Lacy on her hip.  
  
"Hello Josh, how have been?"  
  
"Hello Ami, I have been good, how about you?" Josh asked looking her in the eye.  
  
"Pretty good." She felt her face flushing.  
  
"That is good, so when did you get back in?"  
  
"Wes rolled in a couple o' hours ago." Ami sagged in relief as Spot's arm went around her shoulder. "Hey Ise Spot Conlon Kit's boyfriend and youse?"  
  
"Josh Olson." Josh held out his hand and Spot shook it.  
  
"So how do youse know Kit?"  
  
"We grew up together, and she dated my brother. Well it was nice to meet you but I have work in the morning. It was nice to see you Ami, glad you got back safe." Josh smiled at her then went down the hall to his old room.  
  
"So was he the one youse scared to see?" Spot took Lacy from Kit as they walked toward Caroline's room.  
  
"He was one of them. The other one is his brother."  
  
"The one youse dated?"  
  
Kit wearily nodded, too tired to even talk anymore. Spot noticed that she was practically dragging herself down the hallway. "Hey Ise gonna put Lacy to bed, why don't youse get youse self to bed."  
  
Kit smiled, "That is so sweet but you have never tried to undress a sleeping kid. I'll help then maybe I'll just curl up next to her."  
  
Spot tried to protest but Kit had already gone into the bedroom where the other two girls were already sleeping soundly. She had been right, it had taken the two of them working together to get Lacy undressed and into the clean shirt that Karen had put down on the bed. After tucking the small girl in Spot lead Kit out of the room and down the hall to the room that Karen had pointed out as the girl's room.  
  
They stopped out side the door and Spot held on to her arm, preventing her from going in. "Spot I am really tired and I need to get to sleep before Tack starts talking." She looked up at him wearily.  
  
Spot clearly uncomfortable about something nervously cleared his throat. "Ise just wanted to wish youse good night and sleep dreams. Get a good nights sleep Ami."  
  
Kit sighed but smiled at his use of her real name and gave him a peck on the lips. "You know, sometimes your face shows all your emotions. Pleasant dreams Robert." She slipped into her room before Spot could even react. Spot ended up staring at the door for a second before shaking his head and heading to the room he was sharing with Cray and Swan. He pulled off his shirt, shoes and socks to the harmony of Cray and Swan's snoring. They had left a pillow and a blanket out for him to spread on the floor, as Cray was sleeping on the only bed in the room and Swan had claimed the chair. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep and soon he added his own soft snores to the concert in the room.  
  
  
  
Spot was woken up the next morning by three cautious voices.  
  
"Ise don't think wes should wake them Bait. Spot might yell at us." Spot heard a bit of fear in Jolly's voice and had to fight to keep from opening his eyes to see what the kids were up to.  
  
"Don't be such a big scardy cat Jolly." Lacy said quickly. Spot barely opened his eyes and was surprised by the number of children in the room. Not only were Bait, Jolly and Lacy there but Lacy was carrying a one year old child in her arms and Two Bit and another girl about 2 were also standing there.  
  
"Yeah Jolly Ise hungry and who else can wes wake up?" Bait spoke shaking off the other little girl's hand from his arm.  
  
"Well Ise don't know, wes could try Carrie's ma or pop. Theys live here." Jolly pointed out, but neither Bait nor Lacy saw his logic.  
  
"But we don't know Carrie's mama or papa. We only know Cray an' Swan an' Spot an' Jessie an' Mills an' Kit. An' we don't know where Jessie is sleeping." Lacy refuted with logic of her own. "Come on I am hungry and this baby is getting heavy."  
  
But it was Two-Bit who decided it for them, she went over to the chair and climbed up into Swan's lap. "I HUNGRY SWAN." That woke Swan up very quickly and Spot had to sit up and catch Two Bit as she fell off Swan's lap as he stood up.  
  
Swan was looking around frantically trying to recover his hearing "I'm up, I'm up. What's going on here?"  
  
Two-Bit's yelling had scared the baby who was now wailing in Lacy's arms. Cray, who had also been awakened, went over and took the baby from the small girl and sat down on the edge of the bed to try to soothe him. A very feminine set of giggles brought the older guys attention to the door. There stood Kit, Mills and Tack dressed only in their nightdresses laughing at the spectacle the three almost grown guys and six children made. Behind them stood two guys and three girls somewhere between the twins and Tack in age Spot recognized as Josh and another three looked a bit like Kit and the last girl looked very out of place.  
  
Spot saw the hilarity of the situation from the beginning and was soon laughing. Cray joined him after seeing the angry look on Swan's face of being woken up. "Swan you should see your face." Was all he could choke out before being over come with laughter.  
  
Swan tried not to laugh but soon even he couldn't help it. Kit gained control of her laughter first and after tightening the belt of her robe began ushering the children out of the room. "You guys have 20 minutes to get downstairs if you want to eat. Karen and Joel have already gone for the day and if you think that Ise cooking breakfast of 17 people without some help youse got another thing coming." Spot hid a grin as a New York accent came out, which was a good think because Kit looked ready to kill someone. "Ally, Heather Celeste get some robes on and you can come down to help keep the kids in line, Mills and Tack you are going to help me make breakfast. Boys, don't think I won't feed you cause I won't." Kit tried to look stern but failed miserably. She hugged the taller of the two guys on her way out, "Introduce your self Brat."  
  
He gave her a kiss on the forehead before going into the room. Josh went back to his room and came back with a shirt for him and a spare. "Here Wil don't think your sister wants you down there with out a shirt on."  
  
Wil took the shirt and slipped it on over his head. "Thanks Josh." He then turned to the other occupants of the room. "So Craig you actually were able to bring her back with you? I am surprised." He spoke as he shook hands with Swan then Cray.  
  
"Yeah it took just a bit of persuasion." Swan spoke as he pulled on a clean sock.  
  
"And youse kidnapping her." Spot mumbled not quite under his breath.  
  
"We didn't kidnap her Spot, just showed her that coming along would be better for her." Cray turned to the Brooklynite.  
  
"Youse kidnapped her pure and simple. But it ain't a big deal youse didn't get too far." Spot smirked as he turned to the other two in the room. "Since these two seem to have forgotten their manners, Ise Spot Conlon."  
  
"Wil Oberg. I'm Ami's brother." Spot spit into his hand and held it out. Wil did the same after a second. "And this is Josh Olson, he and Ami used to be friends when they were kids."  
  
"Wes met last night, morning Josh." Spot and Josh shook hands again. "Nice to meet a real brother of Kit's." He spoke looking pointedly at Cray.  
  
"Real brother?" Wil looked a bit confused.  
  
"Yeah when Kit, Swan and Cray came rolling into New Yawk she and Cray claimed to be siblings. But it's all been straightened out ain't it guys." Both Cray and Swan nodded.  
  
"So Crale who were the other two young ladies that you have brought into the nut house? And come to think about it there are about 4 more ankle bitters than usual too." Wil sat down on the chair trying to figure out who everyone was.  
  
Cray took a seat on the bed leaning on the headboard, while the other 3 guys made themselves comfortable on the floor. "Don't get any ideas about those girls boy. The one with the black hair is my fiancée Kaitlyn. The brunette is Jessie, we've been calling her Tack though. The two little girls are Tack's sisters, Becca and Rachel, but they now only answer to Two- Bit and Lacy. Now the boys, they belong to Spot. Bait and Jolly Conlon. Right Spot?"  
  
"They ain't my kids Cray, but since they are my sister's kids Ise guess Conlon works for the. But they've gone by Bait and Jolly so long that the last name don't matter much." Spot said with a wave of his hand. "Oh and don't call Kaitlyn that less youse want a black eye. Only Cray can get away with that, call her Mills."  
  
Wil and Josh both nodded their heads, totally lost. "What kind of names are Bait, Jolly, Tack or Mills?" Josh finally asked.  
  
"Newsie names." Spot said simply.  
  
"You were all newsies?" Wil looked almost scandlized.  
  
"Yeah, Mills lives in Manhattan, and the rest of us live and sell in Brooklyn." He saw the other two looking totally confused, "Manhattan and Brooklyn are parts of New Yawk City. Wes live in different parts of the city across the Bridge from each other. Ise the leader of Brooklyn; Bait, Jolly, Tack, her sisters, and Kit are all part of my newsies there. Mills, Cray and Swan are some of Jack Kelly's newsies."  
  
"Why is Ami one of your newsies and Crale and Craig under some other guy?" Wil looked at Spot suspiciously.  
  
"First cause Kelly kicked Kit out of Manhattan. Second cause Cray got a steady job working on that side of the Bridge. Third cause Ise didn't really like Swan all that much till after wes got stuck on the train together, still don't like him all that much."  
  
Before Swan and Spot could begin to fight Cray cut it off, "Hey hate to break this up but it smells like breakfast is ready."  
  
The guys smelled the air, catching the scent of coffee, pancakes and bacon all mixed into a very tantalizing smell. No one had to say anything as the five occupants of the room were up and out of the room in a flash clamoring down the stairs to stake a claim at the table.  
  
A/N: Can you taste the tension in the room between Spot and the guys? Well I can't have everything all hunkie dorie because they are home. I need just a bit more conflict to end this story with. *evil grin* Well hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll probably won't be putting any more chapters up for a while. I have a paper, two exams and a presentation, all in one class due before the end of the month, but then I'll have 4 full days all to myself before the official start of the semester. Don't you just love college?? Well don't forget to review. Thanks Tiger and Kora for reviewing so faithfully. Quick question. For any and all that read. I am thinking of putting an old fashioned fight in between Spot and one of the other 5 guys in Kit's life. Who should it be? Cray, Swan, Wil (her brother) Josh (old friend) or Jeremy (her ex boyfriend)? Or should it be Spot and Kit? Well tell me in your review. Off to do actual homework. *waves good-bye* 


	12. Eggs anyone?

An: First I don't own Spot, he is the only real newsie in the story, unfortunately. I do own my characters. See I can update, it just takes me forever. Got to love college. On to the story Please R/R.  
  
  
  
As the girls exited the boys room Kit turned to her younger sisters and gave them both a quick hug. "Ally, Heather I can't believe how much you have grown. While me and my friends make breakfast would you mind dressing the kids."  
  
"Sure Ami, but first who are they?" Heather asked wide eyed about the number of people who had come to the house over night.  
  
"Oh guess I should make introductions." Kit grinned sheepishly and then pointed to the twins first. "Okay these two are Bait and Jolly, they're twins and a hand full. And if they don't behave they don't get breakfast," Kit had seen how the boys minds were working and decided a threat was in order. "The two girls are Two Bit and Lacy. Now all of their stuff is in whatever room they slept in last night and the older three can dress themselves, but if you wouldn't mind doing Lacy's hair that would be great. Now my two friends here are Mills and Tack. Tack is Lacy and Two Bit's older sister and Bait and Jolly are the new guy, Spot's nephews. If they give you too much flack tell him and he'll take care of it. Everyone these three lovely young ladies are my sisters Ally and Heather and Cray and Swan's sister Celeste."  
  
After making the introductions everyone slipped into their respective rooms and got dressed. Kit, Mills and Tack threw on shirts and pants before heading downstairs to the kitchen to make a quick meal.  
  
"So those youse sister's Kit?" Mills asked as she sat down at the table.  
  
"Yep Ally and Heather are the two I hide." Kit smiled crookedly as she placed strips of bacon into a saucepan.  
  
"Anything you want me to do?" Tack asked looking in cupboards.  
  
'Sit down Tack, you guys are guests." Mills guided Tack down to the table then began to break eggs in to a bowl as she checked the bacon.  
  
"You sure? I can make pancakes or something?" Tack tried to get up.  
  
"Fine, fine the stuff is in that cupboard over there I'll cook them after the eggs are done." Kit said with a sigh.  
  
"So Kit how old are the goils?" Mills asked as she and Tack mixed pancakes.  
  
"Well Ally just turned 12, Celeste is almost 11 and Heather is 10." Kit responded after a minute. She had just finished the eggs and motioned for the batter. "If you want the plates are in the cabinet over there."  
  
The table was quickly set as the younger kids came down the stairs. The twins rushed over to Kit and began to jump up around her. "Kit youse wouldn't believe what all these people have." Jolly spoke up first.  
  
"Theys got this cool rope swing and Heather said theys got a horse." Bait broke in quickly looking over at the said girl with a shy grin.  
  
"Hey calm down you too I am sure you can see all of it, we weren't going to leave till later today and we'll be back. Now why don't you sit down and eat before the guys get down."  
  
"Kit what are these?" Lacy looked suspiciously at the eggs.  
  
"Those are eggs, they're really good." Celeste spoke up quickly and took a bite of the eggs to prove it. Lacy wanting to be just like the big girls and quickly began to eat the breakfast food.  
  
The kids didn't have much of a chance to eat before the guys came clamoring down the stairs. The guys quickly inhaled the food as it was put on the table barely stopping to say a proper good morning to the others in the room. Not a noise besides the clatter of silverware on tin plates was heard for a good 15-20 minutes as Kit's breakfast disappeared.  
  
Finally Josh sat back from the table stood up. "Ami that was a great meal, and I really got to be going. It was nice to see you all again." Kit looked after her ex-friend in surprised.  
  
Wil coughed to bring her back to the table, she felt her checks burn as the tablecloth suddenly became very interesting. Swan took pity on her and began asking questions about the goings on in town.  
  
Kit didn't hear any of their conversation and it barely registered when Spot took her hand under the table. She was totally lost in memories of sitting around the table with the guys talking about work and selling papers. She remembered getting up early and talking with Karen about her worries and giggling with her about something Jeremy had done that was sweet or something cute Carrie had done the day before. Life had been so much simpler then.  
  
"So Wil what happened to Buddha?" Cray's seemingly innocent question brought Kit back to the present and caused her to stiffen. Spot felt her start and patted her knee reassuringly. Buddha had been Jeremy's nickname from when they were all newsies together, now was the moment when she found out what happened to him after she had left.  
  
Wil didn't see his sister's reaction and began to answer the question, "Well let's see after y'all left he started to get better. The Doc was surprised, we all thought that having Ami gone would have made it worse for him. After about 6 months he was walking around as normal as ever. He remembered who had jumped him and the Johansen boys were tried late last spring. After the trial he didn't stay around all too long. He packed up and went out east. He'll send letters every once in a while to tell Josh he's alive and stuff, but sides that we haven't heard from him. I always thought he went looking for you Ami." Wil stopped then and looked pointedly at a very pale Kit.  
  
Kit felt the eyes of her siblings on her and stared at her hands, "I don't think he would do that. We broke up before I left with the boys. He wouldn't have come looking for me." Before anyone could stop her she got up from the table and left the room. Spot got up to follow her but Cray stopped him.  
  
"What's the big idea Cray? She needs someone and she's me goil." Spot glared at the taller blonde.  
  
"Maybe Cray wants me or Tack to go talk to her, ain't that right Cray?" Mills spoke softly as she got up.  
  
"Yeah Mills or Tack should talk to her, you can go see her afterwards." Cray nodded and Mills went up after Kit.  
  
Tack was at a loss at what to do, but soon began to clear the table, wiping the crumbs off the dishes with a wet cloth then stacking them near the pump to be cleaned later. Heather began to help her while Ally and Celeste took the other kids outside.  
  
"Spot why don't we show you around town." Cray stood up and soon the four guys were out the door headed into town. Cray and Swan tried to keep Spot occupied as they showed him the different haunts of the town. They unconsciously headed in the direction of the newspaper offices and the train station.  
  
"So what sort of news happens out here?" Spot asked as he watched the much slower pace of Lincoln.  
  
"Well this summer there was a huge fire at the college. And there is always news out of the east." Wil supplied. "People here know most of the news as it happens. Papers aren't a necessity for the in town stuff. Normally people just get them for the outside stuff. Joel had a telegraph thing put in his office that tells him what is going on and he writes about it."  
  
"Ise see. So what do youse do for fun?"  
  
"Well there are church picnics and stuff."  
  
"Oh really? What a ball. What do youse do in the winter?"  
  
"The normal winter stuff. Ice Skating, Snowball fights."  
  
"Gee wiz, sounds like a golly good time." Spot sneered, "Don't youse play cards or drink or have parties or something?"  
  
"Of course but that stuff is for special occasions. Well the parties are, cards and drinking well we do that too." Wil seemed a bit put out with his sisters boyfriend but tried to stay hospitable.  
  
Swan decided to change the subject before things got ugly. "So Wil, how are things going with the Doc?"  
  
"Fine, he says that after I graduate I should be ready for college. He is even going to recommend me to Creighton College in Omaha."  
  
"Oh wes got another walkin' mouth." Spot spoke under his breath.  
  
"Really? Kit is going to be proud. So you got a girl yet?" Swan said after shooting a look at Spot.  
  
"Well sort of." Wil's ears turned a bit red. "Christi Albertson and I are sort of a couple. You guys wouldn't know her though, her family moved here from Colorado over the summer. They are coming over this evening for dinner. Her father works with Joel at the paper."  
  
Swan's eyes lit up with mischief, "Very interesting, I can't wait to tell all the embarrassing stories from your life. We can tell her about how you got lost a mile from the house or how you fell into the creek trying to get away from Old Man Ott's bull." Wil's face paled at the idea of some of him more embarrassing moments coming out.  
  
Cray took pity on the younger boy. "Now Swan we have some stories we could tell Tack and they would be from with in the last year, not from when you were a kid. Like that time in Chicago when Kit sent you out for a sausage and pickles and you came back with every type of pickle imaginable? Or when you jumped off that train in Pittsburgh and ripped your pants so badly you had to where one of Kit's skirts till she fixed it." All three of the guys were laughing by the time that Cray had finished while Swan looked ready to be swallowed into the earth.  
  
"Fine I won't tease Wil, but we could tell some stories about you Cray like the time Kit almost broke your nose cause you called her fat." Swan pouted, then grinned, while Cray had a horrified look. "So Spot do you have any stories we could tease you about in front of Kit?"  
  
Spot grinned, "Like Ise would tell youse." He quirked his eyebrows as he smirked, "But thanks ya for the information on youse. Cray do youse know that guy?" 


	13. We meet again

A/N: I'm back. Now, now don't throw things at me I come bearing full chapters to almost every story that I am in the middle of writing. How is that for being gone for more than a month? Don't answer that. Well, I would have updated sooner but I kinda gave up the computer for part of Lent. And yesterday was my last day BG. Have a good Easter everyone and check out some of my other stuff too.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies. I don't own nothing at all.  
  
  
  
"Cray do youse know that guy?" Spot pointed down the street to a man in a cowboy hat. "He's been following us for a bit."  
  
The other three guys looked to who Spot was pointing too as varying looks of horror and surprise crossed their features.  
  
Wil was the first to recover, "I don't believe it." He walked down to the guy and shook hands with him as he brought him back. "Cray Craig you remember Jeremy. Jeremy, Ami and the guys just got into town last night and brought Spot here and a bunch of other people back with them. Jeremy Olson this is Spot Conlon, he's from New York City."  
  
Jeremy and Spot shook hands in greeting. "So Cray Swan what are you doing back in town? I figured you guys got out for good."  
  
"We had our reasons, it's nice to see you up and walking again." Cray said in a tone that belayed the fact that it wasn't.  
  
"So what are you doing back in town Jeremy?" Swan asked.  
  
"Well some stuff happened over the summer. I work at a ranch in Texas now and we were up to Omaha to sell the year's stock, so I figured I should at least come down and touch base with my brother. Possibly invite him to come work with me." Jeremy took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair.  
  
"Well why don't you come back to Joel and Karen's with us, get some lunch. Josh mentioned he might come back for lunch, if not then I'll show you where he works." Wil invited, not noticing the look that Cray and Swan exchanged.  
  
"If you guys are sure Karen wouldn't mind." Jeremy said with a nod.  
  
"Well actually Ami is the one cooking, Karen and Joel went out for the day, but I am sure she wouldn't mind." Wil assured him.  
  
Cray looked particularly uncomfortable. "You know I better go ahead so that Kit knows what to expect. Spot why don't you come with? We'll see you at the house." Cray walked back in the direction that they had come and Spot followed leaving behind two confused guys and one very nervous Swan.  
  
Back at the house things weren't going much better Mills and Tack were sitting next to a sobbing Kit as she poured out the story of why she left. "So after I found out about the baby I was going to tell Jeremy but before I could tell him he broke up with me because the doctors said he would never walk again. So we left. We stayed in Cincinnati a while till after the baby was born then moved on. I had my baby taken from me there by a couple who were going to pay me, but then never did. Swan and I went to Baltimore and you know the rest.  
  
I didn't want to come back here for that reason alone. I thought that Jeremy would be here, but he wasn't so I feel better. But then finding out that he not only got better and started walking, then left makes me mad. Why didn't he come looking for me? I had to give up my first baby because of him and he got off without anything. He gets to live his life like none of it ever happened, but I have to live with it all and more." Kit's words were over taken by sobs as she went back to crying.  
  
Mills and Tack looked at each other unable to figure out what they should do with their crying friend. There was a knock on the door and Mills got up and opened the door to admit Cray and Spot. Spot went over to Kit and sat down next to her on the bed. Cray started to go over but Mills held him back. "Why didn't youse tell me?" She whispered fiercely.  
  
"Tell you what?" Cray whispered back.  
  
"About youse know, the baby?" Mills responded.  
  
"She told you?" Cray looked panicked.  
  
"Yes, she is not taking this well at all."  
  
"Well she is going to be worse, Jeremy is back in town and Wil invited him for lunch." Cray said nervously.  
  
"He did what?" Mills exploded.  
  
"Calm down, we have enough problems as it is. Wil invited Jeremy here for lunch." Cray started to look for a door but Mills blocked his only exit.  
  
"Well youse better go and uninvite him."  
  
"I can't not without making a fool of myself."  
  
"Well then youse deal with Kit when she sees him. She ain't going to be happy."  
  
"That is an understatement. You know what I'll go downstairs and slice up some ham and cheese for sandwiches."  
  
"Yes go do that. Tack and Ise be down in a bit." Mills shooed her fiancé out the door. She then went back to the bed where Kit had finally gotten a hold of herself and was calming down. "Kit why don't youse and Spot talk while Tack and Ise make lunch."  
  
She grabbed Tack by the arm and pulled her out of the door before either girl could protest. Mills explained the situation to Tack as they made it downstairs. Cray was cutting up the meat, bread and cheese when Swan, Wil, Jeremy and Josh came in the door. Jeremy and Josh were talking up a storm catching up on what had happened since Jeremy had left early that spring. The children came in not much later and Mills called up the stairs. "Lunch is ready."  
  
Spot and Kit came down the stairs after a couple of minutes. Kit looking miserable while Spot looked furious. He caught sight of Jeremy and before anyone could react he had come over and socked him in the nose.  
  
The fight was over before it even started. Spot had moved back over to where Kit was standing wrapping his arms around her protectively. Jeremy was holding his nose as he looked around the kitchen for a towel. Mills handed him one and motioned for him to sit down at the table. "Keep your head back, the bleeding will stop sooner." Her lips were in a tight line as she spoke.  
  
The younger kids watched the older ones in a frightened awe. No one spoke as the children settled looking on with wide eyes. Bait and Jolly slowly made their way over to the bench where Kit was sitting on Spot's lap. Both slowly came to sit on either side of their uncle, Bait held on to Kit's skirt while Jolly wouldn't let go of Spot's arm. The three little girls climbed into Cray, Wil and Swan's laps, where Two Bit buried her head in Swan's shoulder not wanting to see what might happen.  
  
"Well I feel welcome." Jeremy said as he took the towel off his nose, wiping at the blood on his face. "So Wil are you going to introduce me? It would seem that your family has grown quite a bit."  
  
Wil looked a bit nervous and cleared his throat before starting, "Well, I am not too sure about real names, just the names they call themselves, so maybe Crale or Craig should introduce everyone"  
  
Cray nodded as he put Lacy down. "I will introduce the kids first then Ally I want you to take everyone younger than you outside. Jeremy the children starting with the ones next to Kit are Christopher and Andrew Conlon and their Uncle Robert. The little girl being shy is Becca Malone and this is her big sister Rachel and standing next to Craig is their oldest sister Jessie. And this is my fiancée Kaitlyn O'Riely." Cray said as he put his arm around Mills. "I would like to introduce you all to one of my oldest friends Jeremy Olson. Now Ally if you would be kind please take the little ones outside the rest of this discussion isn't for your ears."  
  
Ally nodded and motioned for the children to follow her. Bait and Jolly shook their heads, until Kit bent down and whispered in their ears. Both of the boys reluctantly got up and walked out with the rest of children. Bait glared at Jeremy as he walked past, but Jolly ignored the older boy as he followed his twin out the door. Ally didn't look back as she exited the house closing the door behind her.  
  
After the children had left there was a silence that was broken in the end by Kit's sigh, which brought the room's attention to her. She shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny, Spot's hand on her back stilled her. "So Jeremy why are you here?"  
  
Jeremy looked out from under his brown bangs, "I lived here for almost all of my life. I am allowed to come home if I wish."  
  
"Yes I guess you are." Kit said accenting her head. "So how long are you staying?"  
  
"I was planning on staying in town, I have some business to take care of with Joel. After that who knows." Jeremy seemed to almost dare Kit to say something. "How long were you all planning on staying?"  
  
"We are heading out to the farm this evening when Karen and Joel get back." Cray said before Kit could say anything. The room fell silent again as they quietly ate their lunches. Kit couldn't stand sitting waiting for someone to say something and got up and began clearing the table. As she took Cray's plate he laid a hand on her wrist and didn't let go until she met his eyes. He motioned with his hands to put down the dishes and looked pointedly at the door.  
  
Kit sighed, placed the dishes back on the table and brushed off her hands. She moved toward the door and waited for Cray to follow. 


	14. Popular Expressions Gone Awry

Cray walked toward the front room with Kit trailing behind him. He motioned for her to sit down on the couch before sitting down next to her. He took her hand and raised her chin so that she was looking him in the eye. "Amelia you and Jeremy need to talk. He needs to know everything. You can't keep this all bottled up, you are going to explode like a summer thunder storm if you aren't careful."  
  
Kit moved her chin out of Cray's hand and looked at her hands thinking. When she spoke it was so low that Cray had to strain to hear her, "I can't talk to him right now. I'd be opening up old wounds and it hurts too much."  
  
"Kit you have let this fester for over a year now. You remember when I was 10? That was the summer Pop and your pa were putting in the loft in the barn. We were told not to go anywhere near the barn if we didn't have on boots, remember?" Kit nodded slightly. "Well I didn't listen and I was goofing off near there and cut my foot on a nail. I knew I wasn't supposed to be there so I didn't tell Ma or Pop and it got infected. It was so bad that I couldn't walk on it.  
  
Well Ma found out about it and even though my foot had sort of healed up Ma took a knife and cut it open. When she did all this junk came out. It hurt for awhile, but you know it stopped hurting and my foot healed. I have a scar, you've seen it but Ma told me at the time that if we hadn't drained my foot of the bad stuff I could have lost my leg.  
  
Kit let yourself heal with out taking care of this problem so it has festered up. I know talking to Jeremy about it is going to hurt just like it hurt when Ma cut my foot again. But talking will get all the bad stuff out and maybe you can heal right this time and you'll feel better."  
  
Kit didn't say anything after Cray had finished, instead she kept her thoughts to herself letting a few tears trickle down her cheek, not wiping them away. Cray gave her a hug and got up, preparing to leave her with her thoughts, "Kit you don't have to talk to him today, since we are leaving to go to the farm. But mention that you two have something to talk about before we leave so he'll stick around till we get back."  
  
Kit nodded and Cray smiled then left the room. Kit watched him leave then curled up on the couch as the tears fell. This entire year had messed something fierce with her emotions. She had gone from being a happy girl to an emotional wreck. She thought she had gotten over the worse, the nightmares had stopped and she was happy again, that was until they had gotten to Nebraska. All of a sudden all the things she had thought she had left behind had come to the surface and now she was dealing with them again. She hated it. Why couldn't she have stayed in Brooklyn? She would have been just fine never seeing Jeremy or Josh again. Yes she missed her siblings but they could have come out to visit her.  
  
Footsteps in the hallway broke through the unnaturally quietness of the house and Kit looked up to see Bait standing the doorway. "Kit youse okay?"  
  
She got up wiping her eyes, "Yeah Bait, I'm fine. Do you need something?"  
  
Bait nodded, "Cray wanted me to tell you wes leaving now."  
  
"I'll be right out." Kit straighten her clothing and smoothed out her hair. Bait hadn't moved, "So how do I look?"  
  
Bait looked at her seriously, "Horrible."  
  
Kit smiled, "Well thanks for being so honest. Go tell Cray I'll be right out." She ruffled his hair as he went out and up the stairs.  
  
Bait nodded and scampered off shouting, "Cray she'll be right out."  
  
Kit stopped on the stairs and shook her head before continuing u the stairs and into the room she had slept in the night before. She looked in the mirror and saw that Bait had been right. She looked horrible. She untied her braid and combed her fingers through her hair before rebraiding it and retying the end. She then poured some water into the basin and took a wash cloth, and cleaned up her face. She took a breath and turned around, then jumped. "My lord, Josh how long have you been there?"  
  
Josh rolled up onto his elbow and looked at her from his position on the bed. "I've been here all the time. You better get going or you'll get to the farm after dark."  
  
Kit nodded and edged her way out of the room, waiting for Josh to do something. She then rushed down the stairs and outside.  
  
When she got outside she saw that everyone was ready to go. Cray motioned for her to get into the back of the wagon before, turning to Joel, "Well Joel, Karen, thanks for letting us stay the night. We'll see you when we come back to return the wagon."  
  
Kit climbed up into the wagon bed with the help of Tack and Spot. She waved to Karen and the children before sitting down between Spot and Bait. Wil and the girls had decided to go out to the farm for a weekend and were along for the ride. Kit was grateful because the other four children had millions of questions about the surrounding country side and the girls were happy to answer then. Kit felt her eyes get heavy and before long she had laid her head onto Spot's shoulder and was dosing off. 


	15. Honey We're Home

AN: Hey all yeah I know I have taken forever to update this story. But in honor of my 21 st birthday I figured I would finish up this chapter and post it. I hope someone is still reading this seeing as it has been forever since I posted. Just for future reference I don't own Newsies or any characters from that movie. Nor do I own the persons who my characters are based on. Now I better make sure this is posted before I get dragged out of my room and taken somewhere. *looks around frightened and waves*  
  
  
  
The barking of the farm dogs and Ally's heel hitting her forehead woke her up as the wagon pulled into the farm and the older three girls jumped from the wagon. Kit sat up holding her forehead and scowled at Ally's retreating back.  
  
"You okay Kit?" Tack asked concern filling her voice.  
  
"Yes I am fine, I wish people would stop asking me that." Kit said as she stood up brushing the straw from the bottom of the wagon off her skirt.  
  
"What should wes expect here Kit?" Spot as he climbed out of the wagon and stretched his arms lazily before reaching a hand out to help Kit out of the wagon.  
  
"I don't have a clue, Just play it by ear I guess, thanks." Kit spoke taking his hand and jumping off the wagon tongue. Bait and Jolly jumped off after her, but stayed close to her side, their eyes taking in everything around them. Spot helped Tack down as Swan lifted down Lacy and Two Bit. Their progress was motored form the farmhouse door by an older woman.  
  
Tack had stayed at Swan's side but looked around at the farm mentally taking it all in. She noticed a woman come out from the house wiping her hands on the apron. She assumed that this was Swan and Cray's mother and looked at her closely. The woman's hair was very dark and pulled up and away from her face in braids that seemed to wrap around her head. Her calico waist shirt was a light brown while her skirt was a much darker brown. Tack could tell she wanted to come off the porch but something was holding her back.  
  
Suddenly the woman was off the porch and coming over to where they were all standing. Kit met her half way and they began to hug, the older woman sobbing openly. Swan had been holding Tack's hand and wouldn't let go as he walked over to the two women. They broke apart as soon as Swan got there and the older woman gathered him close, and began to sob louder. When she had let go of Kit, Kit had motioned for Spot and Mills to bring the younger 4 children over.  
  
Swan finally calmed his mother down enough and stepped back to introduce their visitors. "Ma I have some people I would like you to meet." He put his arm over Tack's shoulder, "This is Jesse Malone and her sisters Rebecca and Rachel." Tack was surprised when Rose took her into a hug, but hugged the older woman back.  
  
After releasing Tack, Rose turned to Kit, "And there young men are whom Ami?"  
  
"Aunt Rose I would like you to meet Chris and Andy Conlon and their Uncle Robert." Kit motioned to the suddenly shy Bait and Jolly, "Unfortunately Chris, Andy, Rebecca and Rachel only answer to nicknames, which are Bait Jolly, Lacy and Two Bit." Kit the brought Mills into their discussion, "And Katie here is Crale's fiancée. Mills, Spot and Tack this is Cray and Swan's mother Rose."  
  
Rose had gasped happily when she had heard that Mills was Cray's fiancée and Mills got one of the biggest hugs. After the introductions Rose stepped back to take it all in. "Well we can't stay out here in the sun all day. Y'all must be parched from the dusty wagon ride in. Follow me and we'll get y'all something to drink." She lead the group into the house and into the farm kitchen. The table was covered in mason jars that were full of assorted vegetables and jams.  
  
"Rose I didn't realize we were interrupting your canning." Kit said surveying the canned goods.  
  
"Now Ami I'll worry about my canning. You can help me clear off the table then we can sit down and have some tea."  
  
As they sat down Cray came in from the barn. "Hello Ma."  
  
Rose looked up and her eyes filled with tears, "Hello Crale." She walked over to her much taller son and embraced him tightly.  
  
"I'm sorry we left without saying anything Ma."  
  
"It doesn't matter you're here now. Let me look at you." Rose stepped back wiping her eyes, "Well I didn't think it was possible but you are taller. And what have you been doing?"  
  
"Little bit of this a little bit of that. Mostly working as a bouncer at a couple of places." Cray looked down at his feet sheepishly. "Ma how is Pop doing?"  
  
Rose's face fell and she seemed to lose all the pep that the return of the prodigals had brought her. "There hasn't been any changes since I sent you the telegram."  
  
Swan led Rose over to a chair and had her sit down. "What happened?"  
  
Rose seemed to gather herself together, "Well it started about 4 weeks ago. Your father was out checking the crops like he always does and he didn't come back. So I sent Wil out to find him. He came running back saying that he had found Sid at the side of the field and he couldn't talk. I went back out with him and we brought him back here. Then Wil took one of the horses to go get the doc. The doc checked him over and said it was probably a stroke. He couldn't tell me what caused it but just that your father is paralyzed on the left side of his body. The outlook isn't very good, but I needed Wil here for a while to make sure everything got in. So when they went back for the school year I had him send the telegram.  
  
Some of the neighbors, especially Christi's father and brothers have been helping me keep the farm up. But it has been so hard. The corn and wheat are going to ready for harvest in the next couple of days. But I don't know if I can pay anyone to help me with it. And your father, he seems to be letting himself die. He eats enough to stay alive and that is it."  
  
"Well Ma Swan and I are here now. I am sure we can get the crops in before winter. And I'll talk to Pop and we'll get him to eat more. If nothing else he'll get better just to throw us out." Cray said jokingly.  
  
Rose felt herself smile just a bit. "Now boys don't talk about him like that I would think he would be happy to see you. He has been asking for you. But where will you all live? We don't have the space for all of you. And only the two of you bringing in all the crops, that is almost impossible."  
  
Cray, Swan and Kit exchanged a look. "Well Aunt Rose what sort of condition is my parents house in? I am sure we could move in there, even if it is just for a little while."  
  
"And Ma we saw Josh and Jeremy in town. I'll need to return the wagon to Joel so I can ask them to come help, and Robert here could lend a hand too couldn't you Spot?"  
  
"Well youse have ta tell me wat youse wanted me ta do," Spot looked shocked that he was asked to help, but nodded "But sure Ise up for it."  
  
"Good then it is settled. I'll take the wagon back to Joel's tomorrow, and drop the girls and Wil back for school. Then ask the Olsens if they want to help, in exchange for food and a place to sleep at night."  
  
Wil spoke from the doorway where he had been standing for the past couple of minutes. "Well I can stay and help too, the more the merrier."  
  
"Can you get out of school for harvest and threshing?" Swan looked at Wil in surprise.  
  
"Yeah I've gotten off for every year before." He shrugged before turning to Rose. "Rose is everything ready for dinner tonight?"  
  
"Oh dinner." Rose looked around the kitchen in surprise. "I almost completely forgot. At least I had that chicken pie stew on now." She got up and began rushing around, shooing the boys out of the kitchen. "Go take these little ones out to play, show them what real animals look like. Girls do you mind taking these preserves down to the cellar? Oh and Ami could you go to the garden and bring me some beans and some sweet corn."  
  
"Yes ma'am. Tack bring that basket out with you. Ally can you show Mills where to take the jams and such then bring her out to the garden."  
  
The dinner preparations took almost no time at all. Rose sat the four younger children at the table in the kitchen with the three older girls, the rest of the family took their plates out into the yard sitting on an old blanket that Kit had found. Most of the talking was centered around the guys as they discussed the best course of action to bring in the harvest. Rose came out after trying to get Sid to eat some, her face drawn into a frown.  
  
"Is he still refusing to eat Ma?" Cray asked with a look of concern.  
  
"Yes your father is as stubborn as that mule in the barn. He just sits looking out the window refusing to even acknowledge that I am there. I don't know what I am going to do with him." Rose lowered herself to the ground wearily.  
  
Kit got up suddenly and began to pick up the empty plates. "Well Rose you sit out here and enjoy the evening. I'll clean up, Ally and Celeste can help me. Heather will bring the rest of the kids out here. Cray why don't you show them the barn and the rope swing. I bet the boys would love to play up in the loft. And Lacy would like looking for kittens. Rose have we had any recently?"  
  
"Yes the tabby had a litter about 5 weeks ago. They should be in the loft still."  
  
"Good I'll send the kids out when they are done." Kit gathered the last of the plates and balanced the uneven stack in both of her hands and slowly made her way toward the house. Spot rose to follow her but stopped when Swan gave him a look. Kit made it into the house and set the dishes into the wash tub. "Heather when you all are done can you take the kids out to the barn. Swan and Cray said they would show the boys the rope swing and maybe you can show the girls the kittens. Ally do you think you and Celeste can handle starting the dishes? I am going to take some of this stew upstairs."  
  
As soon as the three of them had nodded Kit turned to the pot and dished out some stew into a bowl. After grabbing a spoon and a towel she squared her shoulders and headed up the stairs to Sid and Rose's room, readying herself for the battle she knew would come. 


	16. You look like your mother

Kit paused outside of the large oak door. Suddenly the idea she had before of confronting her uncle didn't seems as good as an idea as before. But she wasn't a quitter and there was no way she was going to back out now. With a knock she opened the door and entered the room.  
  
The sight of her uncle who was supposed to be frail and near death out of bed and staring out the window was a shock. "Uncle Sid what are you doing out of bed?"  
  
The tall man turned from his spot at the window to face Kit. She had a hard time keeping her face impassive. Half of his face drooped, one eye was half closed as if in sleep while the other was open fully as in anger. "Wha do you tink you ar dooen?" Sid's words were slurred as he looked accusingly at her.  
  
"What am I doing? I brought you some dinner since Rose said you weren't hungry earlier. What do you think you are doing? You have the entire family worried about your health but here you are out of bed." Kit stepped further into the room and put the bowl of stew on the dresser, the towel underneath.  
  
"Wha ar you dooen here? I thought I tol you to nea come ba?" Sid's eyes were full of anger.  
  
Kit went up to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "Yes you told me never to come back. But did you really think that the boys were going to just leave me on my own in a big city to come back here to pay their last respects or whatever they are supposed to do here?"  
  
"Ge ou of here." Sid said trying to lift his arm to point out of the door.  
  
"No I am not leaving this room until you have eaten at least of this stew. If it gets cold too bad you'll eat it cold. You are being too stubborn for your own good. Aunt Rose is worried, Wil is worried, the girls are worried, Crale and Craig are worried, and frankly even I am worried about you. I am not going to let you starve yourself to death. Even if I have to force feed you." Kit put her hands on her hips and glared at her uncle.  
  
Sid looked right back at her then the side of his face that had been uninjured in the stroke crept up into a smile. "You loo lie your ma."  
  
Kit looked at him confused, "I look like Mama how?"  
  
'You loo lie she did when your pa an' I came home drun afta Crale was borned." Sid had a wistful look on his face. "She was ma a us an you loo jus lie her."  
  
"Oh" Kit was speechless this was the first time she had gotten any sort of comment about looking like her mother.  
  
"O' course you ha Larr hair bu you ha her eyes." Sid sat back on the bed and closed his eyes. Soon he was snoring.  
  
Kit picked up the bowl and walked out of the room in a state of shock. She slowly made her way downstairs and after placing the stew back into the pot she gave the dish to the girls who had almost finished the dishes. She went outside and sat back on the blanket with Mills, Rose, and Tack.  
  
"Ami are you okay?" Rose asked concern in her eyes.  
  
"Yes I think I am. Rose do I look like Mama?"  
  
Rose looked a bit flustered. "Well you have her eyes and you have a smile like hers when you are up to something. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Uncle Sid said I reminded him of her the night that he and Pa came home drunk after Crale was born." Kit picked at the grass.  
  
"Did you go and talk to him?" Rose looked up to the main bedroom window.  
  
"Yeah I thought maybe I could get him to eat, since you said he was being stubborn and since I can be just as stubborn..." Kit trailed off as she looked up into her aunt's eyes. "He was out of bed staring out the window when I went in. I don't know what happened after that. I might have said something and then he was smiling saying I looked like Mama. Then he laid back in the bed and fell asleep."  
  
Rose had a halfhearted smile tugging at her lips. She motioned for Kit to sit down, "I know you have always thought that your ma and I were sisters and I know we didn't do anything to say otherwise. But really she and Sid were siblings. Their family and ours moved here around the same time. For some reason our fathers decided to put their land tracks together so my family lived in a house up the road from here and your ma's family lived in this house. Your pa's family lived on the land were you grew up and he and Sid were friends from the first day. Sarah and I were inseparable all through our growing up years, kinda like you and the boys. I think when it came right down to it everyone just expected me to marry Sid and Sarah to marry Larry. Luckily I had a crush on Sid and your pa always made cow eyes at your ma. I have a feeling though it wasn't just your eyes that made Sid think of your ma it was how you acted. You and your ma had very similar personalities, you remind me a lot of her to Ami. Don't ever let anyone ever say other wise." Rose said pushing a lock of Kit's hair behind her ear. "I think I am going to go check on him again. Remind the boys they are sleeping in the barn tonight won't you dear?"  
  
"Yes ma'am. I think I am going to walk down to the old place. I'll be back up before it gets too dark." Kit said standing up and brushing off her skirt.  
  
"Okay have a good night Ami." Rose had a far off look in her eye as she walked back into the house.  
  
Kit called the big farm dog over and began walking the well-worn path to her parents' homestead. The only noises she heard were crickets singing their last songs and the padding of her and the dog's feet on the dirt track. The sun was just about to go down and the light of twilight cast an eerie pallor on the waist high grass. Off in the distance she heard a barn owl call and the shriek of one of the children. She smiled as she remembered herself shrieking if the boys had pushed her to high on the swing. As the homestead came into view Kit stopped.  
  
The dog that had been following her plopped down and began panting. Kit gazed at her childhood home; it wasn't as bad as she had feared it would be after two years of disuse. The roof looked as if it was still intact as were the windows and door. Kit scratched the dog behind his ear and he growled in pleasure, leaning into her hand. Kit patted him on the head and moved toward the house, carefully listening to whatever warning noises the dog might make. He made none and as Kit opened the door she was greeted with a sight she hadn't expected. The house was still in good repair. There wasn't the amount of dust she would have expected for being shut up for two years. There were no scampering mice to be seen. It was if someone had been taking care of the house though no one had been living in it.  
  
"So this is where youse grew up?" Kit jumped and turned around to face Spot. "You scared me. How did you get here?"  
  
Spot shrugged. "Ise asked Swan where youse had gone and he pointed to da path an' said to follow it. So here Ise."  
  
"Oh," Kit said as she walked from the front room to the door that led to the bedrooms. "Yeah I grew up here. I haven't been back in almost two years." Kit ran a hand over the dresser as she walked into the main bedroom.  
  
"Youse know it looks good for being shut up for two year." Spot said as he sat on the bed.  
  
"I know it is strange. Not what I was expecting at all." Kit said as she sat up on the dresser.  
  
"So youse talked to youse uncle then?" Spot asked as he leaned against the wall.  
  
Kit smiled slightly, "I did talk to him, he wasn't happy that I am back. And then he said I looked like my ma."  
  
"Well then youse ma must have been very pretty." Spot smiled.  
  
Kit lifted an eyebrow. "Oh really? Is that supposed to be a line Mr. Conlon?"  
  
"Nah just stating the truth." Spot got up from the bed and came to stand in front of her. "Youse doing okay?"  
  
Kit nodded and bit her lip. "I just wasn't expecting any of this to happen. I never thought I would be coming back and having to face all of this again. Cray says I have to talk with Jeremy before he leaves." Kit felt the tears well up. "I don't even know where to start."  
  
Spot looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well youse could practice what youse going to say on me couldn't you?"  
  
Kit seemed to be considering this. "If you are sure you want to hear about this."  
  
"Ami you and Ise dating. Ise think Ise want to hear about it. What has been bugging youse so much?"  
  
"All right I'll start at the beginning. I have known Josh and Jeremy Olsen since day one of my first day of school when I was 5. After our teacher left to teach in Canada our parents sent us to go to school in Lincoln. Of course it would be hard for our fathers to take us into town once harvest started so they talked with a man in town and got jobs for Swan and Cray. Joel had them work as newsies and I was allowed to be the messenger girl in the newspaper office. I joined the newsies when I was eight and Josh was my selling partner. We stayed at the school for only another year before we were kicked out after being accused of cheating. Then selling newspapers became our reason for being in town. When I was 13 my parents died and Joel and Karen, who had been my teacher, got married. That was the fall that Josh and Jeremy came to live with me and the guys here. I guess during that year I developed quite a crush on Jeremy and the feelings were mutual. The next fall was when we started to date.  
  
Like I said before my uncle approved of neither me being a newsie or dating Jeremy. He felt I could do better and that would only happen if I stopped being a newsie. Well we fought about it and the night after the fight Jeremy found me out by the big tree crying. He comforted me and well one thing lead to another." Kit stopped her narration and slowly looked Spot in the eye.  
  
Spot couldn't hide the anger in his eyes and when Kit saw it her eyes dropped to her hands, "Well it only happened that one time. Because the next two months were spent me selling papers and Jeremy working, we saw each other maybe once a week if that. One night as I was coming back from work two boys, Shoetree and Frost came out and threatened me. That night Jeremy and I had a date and I told him about what had happened. He blew it off but as we were walking home the two guys attacked us. They soaked Jeremy pretty good and put him into a coma for almost a month. During that month I came back here. I also realized I was pregnant. I didn't know what to do so I didn't tell anyone.  
  
Well after Jeremy woke up Cray came to get me. Sid didn't like the idea that I was going back to the city. So after a spectacular fight he threw me off the farm and disowned the boys. Cray knew that Jeremy was going to break up with me but didn't say anything the entire walk back. After we arrived in town I headed upstairs and Jeremy broke up with me, and Josh pretty much threw me out of the room. Swan found me in the hall bawling my eyes out and helped me into bed. I guess I was mumbling about being pregnant and he heard. When I woke up the guys offered to take me with them. We left that morning without saying anything to anyone. We went first to Chicago then ended up in Cincinnati. The guys were bouncers at a bar that we lived above. About 6 months later I had the baby and gave him up for adoption. Then we moved, first to Baltimore where I ran into Chair and then to Manhattan. You know the rest of the story."  
  
Kit stopped and slid off the dresser moving around Spot who was standing speechless. "I wouldn't blame you if you decided to go back to Brooklyn without me. I know I kept a lot from you. That was wrong but it was just so hard to tell you about without breaking down. I would understand if you left, you don't have to stay and help out. You can go back to your other life and back to the city. I'll be fine I am sure." Kit swiped at the tears that were falling inwardly cursing that she was being so weak.  
  
Spot came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "Ise not going anywhere without youse. Jeremy was a bastard who deserved the punch he got. Youse has gone through a lot and telling me all this stuff was hard. Ise ain't gonna leave. Don't ever think that even for a minute." Spot hugged her tighter.  
  
Kit turned around to face him, "You really mean that?"  
  
Spot nodded and Kit smiled before burying her face into his neck. They stood like that a very long time. Holding onto each other as if they were anchors in a storm. Spot felt rather than saw that Kit had fallen asleep. He gently maneuvered them over to the bed and laid Kit down. He then went searching in the half moon light for a blanket, finding one in the last drawer of the dresser. He shook out the blanket then laid down next to Kit and pulled the blanket over them. He watched her sleep until his eyes were too heavy, then after gathering her close one last time he allowed himself to sleep.  
  
A/N: I am back scary no? Here is the next chapter and I can't believe how long it has taken me to get this far. I had the biggest case of writers block ever, and am only now just getting over it. Who knows maybe being at the scene where this all started will help me finish this up. I can't believe I have been pecking at this story for over a year. Anyway, thanks for reading and please Review. 


	17. Milk Fight or Picnic your choice

Disclaimer: I don't own the Newsies.  
  
The next week went by like a speeding train and a snail at the same time for Kit. It had been decided that Celeste, Ally and Heather were to stay for the remainder of the week to help keep an eye on the twins and the little girls. Kit and her friends worked as a team cleaning out the old house to make it livable, they started in the bedrooms and finished with the living area. Every surface was scrubbed clean as a year's worth of grime was washed away. Kit kept herself busy working from morning to night only to fall into bed to sleep until she had to wake up. The guys were rarely seen that week. The four of them spent most of their time at the main farm, working on equipment that had fallen into disrepair, bringing in the garden and checking the fields daily to keep track of the progress up until harvest.  
  
It was Saturday before anyone could even think to relax. The guys had gotten up at dawn to do the heavy chores and after they were completed Cray and Swan harnessed the horses to the wagon and woke Celeste, Ally and Heather. Cray took the list of supplies Kit and Rose had made and set off to take the girls back to school and bring back Jeremy and Josh. Kit woke around 8 to the smell of sausages frying. She stretched and got out of bed pulling her robe on as she walked out to the kitchen. Mills was at the stove and handed her a mug of coffee. "Heya Kit."  
  
"Morning Mills. Why did you let me sleep in? I could have helped out some." Kit asked as she sipped the steaming liquid.  
  
"Ise able to make breakfast jus fine on my own. Plus youse is gonna be busy makin' sure dis harvest thing goes well." Mills turned from the stove and placed the skillet with the sausages on the table. Kit reached out to grab a sausage when Mills slapped at her hand. "Youse can wait till Ise wake da rest. Just sit dere and behave youself." Kit stuck out her tongue at Mills' back and snitched a sausage and began nibbling on it. "Don't think Ise didn't see it cause Ise did. Now youse can do da dishes."  
  
"That's fine with me." Kit said with a shrug. Mills rolled her eyes and shook her head before heading down the small hallway and pounding on the door to where the little kids were sleeping.  
  
"Aren't you going to wake Tack?" Kit asked as Mills walked back into the kitchen.  
  
"No need, shes up at da house helping Rose wit da last of da canning." Before Kit could say anything four little bodies ran into the kitchen pushing their way to the table.  
  
"Jolly don't push Two Bit she's too little for that." Bait scolded as he picked her off the ground. Bait then helped Two Bit sit at the table. He looked around the table confused, "Kit where's everybody?"  
  
Kit shrugged, "I haven't a clue where everyone is, but Tack is up at the house helping Ms Rose."  
  
"Eat up, Swan, Spot and Wil are doing stuff in the barn, you and Jolly can go help them if you want after you eat. And Cray took the girls back to Lincoln so they could go back to school." Mills said as she poured milk into cups for the four children.  
  
"Ise don't want ta drink that, can't Ise just have wader?" Jolly complained.  
  
"No youse going to drink dat entire cupa milk." Mills said sternly, "Or youse will stay here and beat rugs." Jolly wrinkled his nose but drank the milk in one gulp.  
  
"Now can Ise have wader?" He asked as he held out his cup. Mills filled it quickly and sat down next to Kit and with her own mug of coffee.  
  
The four children chatted about what they had planned for the day as Mills and Kit nodded their heads. Two Bit finished first, "I done."  
  
Kit smiled, "Why don't you get dressed then."  
  
"Can't need help." Two Bit said with a sad frown.  
  
"I'll help you get dressed." Kit said as she held out her hand. Two Bit nodded happily and jumped off the seat before running to the bedroom.  
  
Kit smiled a bit wider as she followed after her into the bedroom. Two Bit had succeeded in getting her dress on when Lacy came in, slamming the door and leaning against it. Kit raised an eyebrow as she looked at the panting 6-year-old. "What's going on Miss Lacy?"  
  
"I accidentally on purpose poured my milk on Bait and now he's gonna get me." Lacy looked around a bit panicked as Bait began pounding on the door and yelling for Lacy to come out and face him like a man.  
  
Kit finished buttoning Two Bit's dress and tied on a play apron. "Do you want me to hold the door so you can get dressed and hide?"  
  
Lacy looked up to her gratefully. "Yes please."  
  
"Well be quick I don't think the milk cooled him off at all." Kit's eyes held a mischievous glint as she took Lacy's place at the door. Lacy dressed quickly barely taking time to tie the rope belt for her pants before climbing out the window over the bed. Kit waited until she was gone, counting to 50 before taking her weight off the door and opening it. In tumbled both Bait and Jolly.  
  
"Where'd she go?" Bait asked angrily as he picked himself off the floor.  
  
Kit held in a snort as looked at Bait, his hair was plastered down with what she assumed was milk and the top of his shirt was wet. "I think she went out through the window. Why don't you clean yourself up before heading after her."  
  
Bait glared, but went over to the nightstand to wash out his hair. Kit picked up Two Bit and headed out of the room. "Don't forget you are supposed to go to the farm and help Swan and Wil." She said before closing the door.  
  
She made her way back to the kitchen and was surprised to find the guys there sipping coffee and eating slices of bread and butter. "What are you doing here? I thought you were working." Kit asked as she let Two Bit down.  
  
"Not much more we can do till Cray gets here with Jeremy and Josh. So I was thinking we could take the kids down to the pond and let them enjoy the day." Swan said as he buttered up another piece of bread.  
  
"I was making sandwiches so if you want to round them all up Kit." Mills started but was interrupted by Jolly and Bait trying to fly through the kitchen.  
  
Spot catching them by the collars stopped them in mid step. "Where's da bull?"  
  
"Wes got ta catch Lacy she poured a glass of milk on Bait. Wes gotta get her back." Jolly explained as he ineffectively struggled against Spot's grip.  
  
"Youse ain't gonna get no one. Youse gonna sit here until wes leave." Spot sat down on the bench bringing the two boys with him.  
  
Bait started to grumble, "Ise can't let her get away wit pourin milk on me like dat. Where wes goen?"  
  
"Wes gonna be goen to dis pond dat Swan knows about."  
  
"Wat wes gonna be doen?"  
  
"Well you can fish or swim or anything you want to do." Wil said as he got up. "Well I am going up to tell Rose we are going, so she can tell Cray."  
  
"Good thinking Wil Lee. And see if Tack wants to come along." Kit said with a smile. Wil threw a glare at her before smirking, "Amelia" he drew it out, "you know I don't like being called that."  
  
Kit just smiled back, "Shrimp."  
  
"Only when compared to Goliath little sis." Wil said pulling himself up to his full 6 feet and three inches. "I was talking about your mind." Kit said as she dodged a halfhearted slap. The twins sat in silence watching with big eyes the playful fighting between the siblings.  
  
"Can he really hit her Spot?" Jolly leaned over to ask.  
  
"She's able to take care of herself." Spot whispered back. "And if not Ise can soak him."  
  
"Ohh." Jolly sat back his eyes still a bit wide.  
  
Kit had started giggling as she listened to the exchange between the two and couldn't help smiling in amusement. Wil just shook his head and slipped out the door.  
  
The next twenty minutes was a furry of activity as Kit and Mills got blankets and food together for the impromptu picnic. They had just gotten the last of the food into baskets when Tack and Wil came in the door. "Do y'all need any more help?" Tack asked.  
  
"Nope Ise think dat wes done wit it all now, all dats left is ta gather up da kids so wes can see dis here pond." Mills said as she placed a blanket over the handle of the basket.  
  
The kids weren't too hard to round up as they were quite excited about going on an adventure. The walk was a quick one and prairie flowers in bloom surrounded the path to the pond, the red and gold plants made for a gorgeous walk. The exuberance of the twins was only kept in check by Swan's warning that the pond sprang up in the path like a gopher hole in the middle of a row of carrots.  
  
This comment caused Mills to turn to Kit with a questioning look, "What the heck does he mean?"  
  
"He means that it comes up as bit of surprise, if he didn't say anything those two boys would end up soaked to the bone."  
  
Both Tack and Mills snickered, then Mills smiled wickedly; "Wes should just let that happen so they would know better next time."  
  
Kit felt her lips twitch before she broke into an all out laugh. It wasn't the last time laugher would peel across the prairie that afternoon. The remainder of the day was filled with childish giggles, guffaws and squeals as the group put the cares of the world on hold and played.  
  
A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I have updated but my muse only has just returned. So you are getting two chapters. Enjoy them both and don't forget to review. 


	18. Oh Starry Night

The fun afternoon had speed by, as the sun began to set all four kids were yawing. The cloudless blue sky erupted into a symphony of pink, gold, red, and orange as the sun sunk below the horizon. Mills, Tack and kit gathered the picnic things in the waning light as Swan lit the lantern that he had brought along. The stars were just coming out into a moonless midnight blue sky as Swan and Spot picked up the sleeping girls. Mills grabbed the basket while Wil took the lantern from Swan. Kit walked next to Spot holding on to his arm.  
  
As they slowly made their way back to the farmstead. Bait slipped a hand into Kit's free one. "Kit why do you have so many more stares than in Brooklyn?"  
  
"Cause we don't have the building blocking your view." Kit said as she gestured to the sky in which stars seemed to touch the horizon.  
  
"But even on the roof there aren't this many stars." Bait protested.  
  
"But the buildings are still there. Plus we only have the light of the lantern to see by. But in Brooklyn you have al the street lights and the lights from the windows. I bet if you were to go to the roof late at night you could see a lot more stars." Kit explained. Bait seemed to accept her explanation and was silent the rest of the walk back to the house. Though Kit wasn't talking her mind was whirling with an idea. When they reached the yard Kit took her hand from Spot's arm and held Bait and Jolly back as the rest entered the house. "Mills can I get that blanket? I am going to show the twins the stars." Mills handed over the blanket with a questioning look.  
  
"Youse sure you'll be okay out there?"  
  
"Yes, there isn't anyone for miles. Plus we are just going over that hill." Mills nodded as Kit took the two young boys' hands and led them to her star spot. "As we walked back I realized that you to have probably never been out star gazing. I used to do this will Swan and Cray all the time when we were little. We'd sneak out and meet back here and spend hours just looking up. I think we spent the entire fall before we became newsies trying to count the stars."  
  
"Why did you do that Kit?" Bait asked as he and Jolly helped lay out the blanket.  
  
"Because we were sure we could. Here why don't we lay down with our heads in the middle and I'll point out some pictures."  
  
"You can see pictures in the sky?" Jolly asked incredulously.  
  
"Yes, you have to draw them but they are there. Here follow where I point. See those four stars that make a square? Follow that one up and you have a handle. That's the big dipper and there is the little dipper."  
  
"That is cool, what about those three stars in a line there?" Bait asked. "Those are part of the Indian. That is the first picture my dad pointed out to me one night as we were coming home from town. He said that the Indian is only a hunger for part of the year though. The rest of the year he is hunted by the rabbit." "The rabbit? How is he hunted by a rabbit?" Jolly asked  
  
"See those stars there in a V shape? Those are the rabbit's ears. Some times they follow the Indian and others the Indian follows them. It depends on the time of year."  
  
"Hey what's that?" Bait asked pointing quickly, almost smacking Kit in the face.  
  
"What's what Bait?" "A star thing flew across the sky see there is another one." "Oh quick make a wish." Kit said excitedly. "Why?" Both boys asked at once. "Because it's a shooting star, if you make a wish it will come true. But don't' tell me or anyone else." Kit said quickly.  
  
The twins lapsed into silence for a while and Kit thought they might have fallen asleep. As she watched the sky trying to pick out the constellations her father had taught her an amazing light show unfolded above them. An eerie glow of green and blue danced in sheets of light moving back and fourth like sheets on a clothesline waving in a summer breeze. They rippled and changed color at random. The colors jumped and moved as if alive. The light show lasted for what seemed like an eternity and only mere moments at the same time as Kit lay mesmerized by the lights.  
  
"Kit what was that?" A gruff voice from near Kit's feet made her sit up suddenly.  
  
"Whose there?" Kit asked her voice shaking in awe at the light show and in fear.  
  
"Me Spot." Spot said coming to sit next to her on the blanket, mindful of the two sleeping boys.  
  
Kit sighed in relief, "When did you get here?"  
  
"Right before the lights in the sky started up. When you didn't come in I asked Mills what happened, she said you took the boys off to star gaze. So I to help you bring them back incase they were asleep. So what were those lights?"  
  
"I am not sure. My pa told us about seeing something like that when he wasn't much older than the boys are. His family had come out here in the wagon trains and he said that he had been up late one night and had seen colored lights dance across the sky. Though my grandparents thought he had been seeing things Pa believed what he had seen and told us kids stories about it during the winter. He always said he wanted to see them again before he died. Then the winter before he died he came in from checking the stock he was talking about seeing the lights again. Those lights were exactly how he described them."  
  
"They were different, almost scary in how they changed colors, but beautiful at the same time." Spot said in awe.  
  
"Yeah I know, I wish Pa was here to see them again. But I am glad you saw them." Kit said as she snuggled close to Spot.  
  
Spot kissed the top of her head, "Me too. So you ready to go back to the house? Jeremy and Josh are here but I am sure they are all already in bed."  
  
Kit sighed as she stood up. "I guess. Which one do you want?"  
  
"I think I could take on Jeremy." Spot said seriously.  
  
Kit giggled, "I am sure you could but I meant which of the twins did you want to carry."  
  
"Oh well I'll take which ever one is right here. I'll get the blanket too."  
  
"No leave that here. I think I want to come back out after I put these two into their room."  
  
"Do you want to be alone?"  
  
"No I've been alone way to much lately. Come on lets go put them to bed and grab another blanket incase it gets cold." Kit said picking up the boy next to her. The two teens made their way back to the house using the light of the stars.  
  
AN: First off I would like to say that I am a big star freak and I think that is why I like being at home so much. I can see stars forever and there are a lot of them, my advice is that if you live in a city. Leave the city at least once until you are out of the light pollution and just look up. The view is awe-inspiring. Also my last experience with the Northern Lights, which is what Kit and Spot saw, was when I was about 9. Those are beautiful also and my little description can't even come close. Hopefully the last of this story will be coming soon; but with my muse who knows. Sorry I have kept you waiting so long. Hope you enjoyed my starry night. Please Read and Review. 


	19. What a way to wake up

"Well isn't this just the prettiest sight you have ever laid eyes on." A bitter comment accompanied by a toe in the ribs woke Spot. He peered up into the sun trying to figure out who had woken him but the intruder had his back to the sun, effectively blocking out his face. "Never would have pegged you as one to sleep under the stars city boy. I thought you would make sure your roll in the hay was done properly in the hay. But then Ami has always had a thing for being out under the stars haven't you darling." The voice continued to taunt as a foot poked at Kit.  
  
"So was she a good lay city boy? Hope you enjoyed your tumble because it's the last one you're going get from her. She'll be leaving you for someone new before that blanket there is even cold."  
  
Spot struggled to sit up but Kit put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take care of this." Spot nodded slowly scowling at the man towering over them both.  
  
"Oh I see how it is you aren't just named for a dog you are a whipped puppy. Well maybe she'll keep you a bit longer, one can't have too many pets can they Ami?" Jeremy said with a smirk. "Don't stand up too fast hun you might give a show we both would appreciate."  
  
Kit was on her feet in a matter of moments, while Jeremy was flat on his back holding his nose. "You listen to me you jerk. I have not slept with Spot so you can take your damn insinuations and snide comments and go back to that house. On second thought stay right there so I can lay your life out for everyone. I slept with you because I figured we were going to be together for the rest of our lives. I figured wrong, because at the first sign of trouble you decide that life is too hard and leave me on my own pregnant.  
  
I was lucky that Cray and Swan were willing to take me with them to Chicago even though they knew I was pregnant. So I spent nine months of my life carrying your child then I had to give up my baby because I was unable to take care of him. All because you had too much goddamn pride. Then because work is hard to come by where we were Cray sends me and Swan further east and we end up in Baltimore Maryland where I get attacked by a guy I thought I could trust. So to get away from that Swan and I end up in New York City where I end having to be separated because I want to work during a strike.  
  
I finally find someone worthwhile and Sid gets it in his head he has to see all three of us kids before he dies so I am torn away from a place I consider home. Then you waltz back into my life and start acting like I offended you. Who is the offended party here? Did you think that I was going to come back here and pine after you in hopes that you might just come back for me? Or did you think you could find me and win me back? I don't know what was going on in that pea brain of yours but I will tell you I will not have you calling me a slut or any other shit you can come up with."  
  
Jeremy had stood up during Kit's diatribe and moved to bring her into a hug but Kit would have none of that. She pushed his hand away and turned to walk away. "Don't you dare leave Ami we are not finished." Jeremy said reaching out and grabbing her arms.  
  
Her reaction scared both men. Jeremy dropped her arm as Kit began to scream as soon as he let go Kit dropped suddenly to the ground crying hysterically. Spot had gathered her close to him in a flash. He shot Jeremy a deadly look over Kit's head. Before he could say anything though, Cray had come from the house and pulled Jeremy off to the side.  
  
"What the hell happened here Olsen?" Cray asked angrily. "It's somewhat my fault. I was out walking trying to clear my head before seeing Ami and I came upon the two of them lying there under a blanket. I don't know what came over me but I began to make some inappropriate comments about it. Before I realized it I was on the ground and Ami was yelling at me. I don't know exactly what happened next, I think I reached out to hug her and she shoved me way, so I grabbed her and she just began to scream." Jeremy said as he stared dumbstruck as Spot worked on calming down Kit. He turned to Cray with a questioning look. "There was a baby?"  
  
Cray nodded slowly, "Yeah she found out she was pregnant right after the fight with the Johansen boys. She didn't tell anyone for an entire month, I think she was planning on telling you the day you woke up. But you broke up with her. Swan found out by accident and we decided to take her with us east. It was a hasty decision and I think both of us regret taking her along, except for the fact that she didn't have to deal with the comments that would have been made."  
  
Jeremy forced his eyes away from the couple and began to walk back to the house, "And the reason she screamed was?"  
  
"She was gang raped by her boyfriend and a couple of his friends in Baltimore. I am pretty sure she remembers more than she is telling, and she hasn't said much. But it scarred her bad, plus her attacker from Baltimore attacked her again a couple of weeks ago. The doctor in Brooklyn said she might never be the same again, he said she had been under too much stress.  
  
Can you just try to stay away from her? Let her come to you and if she doesn't then just let this go. You can't the one who comforts her anymore, you gave that up the day you and Josh threw her out of your room." Cray said as the two came up to the house. Before they went in he grabbed Jeremy's arm "Don't say anything about this to anyone okay? She will tell the rest of the family when she feels they need to know."  
  
Jeremy nodded as the two went into the house. Jeremy sat at the table and poured himself a mug of coffee, he put his hands around the mug as if to warm them and only sipped from it every once in a while.  
  
Mills came to stand next to Cray, "Everything okay?"  
  
Cray pulled Mills into a hug and kissed her forehead. "It will be eventually I am sure. What's for breakfast?"  
  
Mills leaned back to look into Cray's eyes. "Breakfast youse want breakfast? Make it for yourself." Mills said playfully as she steered Cray to the table where Swan, Wil and Josh were discussing what field they should begin working in that day. She went to the stove and returned with two plates filled with sausages, eggs, and toast; which she placed in front of both Cray and Jeremy. "'Ere dig in both of youse. When youse done place da plates in da wash tub. Ise gonna to take dis 'ere plate out ta Spot."  
  
Mills slipped out the door quickly before Cray could protest and walked over to the hill where Kit had said she was going to be with the boys last night. Spot and Kit walking back with a blanket met her half way. "'Ere Spot eat up, it sounds like youse guys is gonna be worken hard dis morning." Mills said as she handed the plate to Spot in exchange for the blanket.  
  
"Thanks Mills is 'e still in dere?" Spot asked not saying who 'he' was. "Yes all da guys is in dere. Why don't me and Kit take a bit of a walk and youse can whistle when youse all leave?" Mills asked quietly. "Sure, thanks for breakfast Mills. Kit Ise see youse afta wes get in tanight." Spot leaned over and gave Kit a quick kiss on the mouth before heading into the house. 


	20. Dreams spoken

Mills and Kit kept walking neither saying anything until they were well past the house. Kit was the first to speak, "Why does everything have to be so complicated Mills?"  
  
"Don't know baby but Ise sure it will work out eventually. Least dat is what Cray said."  
  
Kit smiled, "Yeah Cray is the eternal optimist. Mills do you want to live her for the rest of your life?"  
  
"What brought dat on?" Mills asked as they stood on the edge of a wheat field. Kit shrugged, "I don't know but do you?"  
  
"Well Ise would be happy ta live in the middle of a desert if dat meant Cray would be there."  
  
Kit smiled but quickly sobered. "But to be a farmers wife the rest of your life. Live out here away from cities with only your family and maybe a neighbor or two for company? I thought you liked the city."  
  
"Kit Ise think Ise could use a bit of solitude. My entire life Ise been surrounded by people. Me Mam and Da lived on a farm at some point but I don't remember it. Me first memory was da flat in Dublin livin wit me grandparent, two sets of aunts and uncles and a whole bunch of little cousins. Den when Ise 8 Da got passage on a ship to America. Problem was Mam was pregnant wit a barrin.  
  
But wes went on dat boat in a cargo hold no bigger than a bunkroom with 200 other people. Da and Shawn were sicker den two dogs and Mam gave birth to Joey and gave up da ghost in da process, but some how dat baby survived. Da said he was destined for grand things, but he died not four years later. Well Da got us an apartment in da Bronx which Ise never saw da outside of for two years, Ise too busy raising a barrin and two little goils. Da died when Ise ten and we got sent to me Uncle Shamus's. My Aunt Ellen wasn't a cruel woman but da rooms just seemed smaller during her moods. She'd be happy one moment den cursing us out da next.  
  
By the time I turned 13 Ise liven on da street, de entire family, cept Bryon dead and buried. Den came da Refuge, Kit youse lucky never ta get sent there. Every movement youse make is watched, one step out of line adds time to youse sentence. Ise saw 8 year-old children turn 80 over a matter of months. After Ise got out Ise vowed never ta go back. Then Ise joined the newsies in Manhattan ta be close to Bryon, least wise dat was why Ise stayed. It meant 30 half-grown men and me sharing one washroom.  
  
So no Kit Ise not gonna miss the city. Ise couldn't miss it if I tried. Sure Ise gonna miss me friends. But sooner or later dey is gonna want out. And I'll be here waiting ta show them all this." Mills said with a sweeping motion. "Kit youse got youse stars and Ise love being able to breath with out tasting smoke from the factories that took me family. That is what Ise want, Nothing more nothing less. But what do you want Kit? What is it that youse can't live without?"  
  
Kit paused for a moment before answering to gather her thoughts. Then they came out in one big rush. "I want to find somewhere new with no memories. I want to forget all the bad things that have happened, all the guys who have take a part of me and left their scars. I want to start new and not have to worry about whispers or comments made behind my back. I want freedom." She stopped for a moment then began again in a low voice. "And I want to be loved no questions asked. I want to look into the eyes of a guy and not see questions or doubts or scorn. I want to be free of my own doubts and cares and just for one moment know pure happiness."  
  
She stopped again to take in a large breath, and smiled as she continued. "I think I've found it. Even with everything I have told Spot, all the things I kept back and then came to light so quickly and violently; he still looks at me the same way he did the first time we kissed. If he wanted to sail to Australia I would find the boat and go with him. If he wanted to go back to New York I'd be next to him on the train, and if he wanted to stay here and grow old, I would be sitting on the porch with him in forty years. I just want to be able to feel safe." Kit spun around a few times her arms wide open, before sitting on the ground, "And if he wanted to leave me behind I think I would end up wasting away to nothing."  
  
Both girls knelt in the tall grass not moving, or speaking, drawing on the presence of the other's company for strength. They seemed to be two statues incapable of movement until the lunch bell sounded from the main house. "Kit Ise will always be here if youse ever need me." Mills said pulling Kit into a hug. Kit nodded silently as Mills slowly stood up and walked away.  
  
Kit sat in the grass slowly collecting her shattered soul together, piece by piece. Then after long moments she got up and headed back to the way she and Mills came. Ready to face the demons she had with an open smile and a clear mind.  
  
***interlude  
  
For the next two weeks life when non stop. Kit, Mills and Tack worked as a team preparing meals, caring for the children and helping Rose care for both Sid and the animals on the farm. The guys were up at dawn every morning first feeding the livestock, then spending every daylight hour possible bringing in the crops. The only break in the day came at noon.  
  
Then Kit, Mills and Tack would gather the children together and troupe down to the fields and feed the men their sandwiches. Conversation was minimal but laughter at the children's antics came out with ease. Then it was back to work until evening when Spot, Swan and Cray would come up and do the evening chores while the other three put the day's harvest into the silos or barn. Activities only stopped at dark when all 6 men would fall into their beds only to wake up early and do it again. Each day found Kit smiling a bit quicker, laughing a bit longer and brooding a bit less.  
  
***End of interlude  
  
The Sundays in harvest meant a break from the backbreaking work of the week. At noon the whole tribe would trek up to the main house for a large dinner and a time to sit and relax over pumpkin pie and coffee. Kit found that no one disturbed her during those times and would spend hours curled up on the floor reading a favorite book. She still would answer a question or two from the children but it was very peaceful.  
  
The conversation would ebb and flow around her and every once in a while she and Spot would lock eyes and he would smile that easy smile that made her toes curl. This particular Sunday was a celebration, the harvest was totally in except for some of the pumpkins that could sit out in the field a bit longer. The rain had held off until that afternoon and it was now pouring down in sheets. So when Spot came and knelt in front of Kit she was moderately surprised.  
  
"Kit wes need to talk." Kit looked up from her book, Spot's face was a mask no emotion whatsoever was showing. Kit stood slowly as she felt her stomach plummet to her feet. When they reached the door he handed her a shawl and wrapped an old rain cloth around the two of them as they stepped out into the rain.  
  
They walked for a while in silence, the raindrops splattering around them. Kit finally turned to Spot. "What do you need to talk about?"  
  
Instead of answering straight away Spot looked into her eyes before leaning in and kissing her. When they brook apart Kit looked into Spot's eyes as rain streamed down his face, a few of the drops caught on his eyelashes before streaking down like tears as he began to speak. "Ise gonna go back to Brooklyn tomorrow."  
  
Kit took a step back and pulled her shawl over her hair. "What do you mean you are going back to Brooklyn tomorrow?"  
  
"Ise gonna take the train back to Brooklyn and Ise want youse and da twins to stay here until Ise get back."  
  
Kit felt tears fill her eyes, "Stay here? Why do you want us to stay here?"  
  
"Because Ise gonna need a reason to tell everyone to leave Brooklyn again." Spot said placing a hand on her cheek.  
  
Kit turned her face away. "Why can't we go with you? Why do we need to stay here? Why do we even have to leave Brooklyn?"  
  
Spot turned her face back so their eyes met, "Because this is youse home. Ise can't take youse to live in Brooklyn for da rest of youse life. Youse would wither away with out da sun and fresh air dat youse get here. Youse need dis place. It's in youse blood. Da boys need this place. They's growing up too fast in Brooklyn. Here theys can go ta school and get an education and be something. In Brooklyn wes all just street rats begging for money for bread to survive so one day wes can work in da factories till we die. Ise got a chance to get youse and me out of it and Ise gonna take it."  
  
"So you are gonna leave Brooklyn and all your friends? For what?" Kit asked confused.  
  
"Ise leaving it for me. For the boys." Spot stopped and lifted her eyes up to meet his again. "Ise leaving if for you. Youse can't hide it. Youse happy here. Happier than youse ever were selling papes on Coney Island. And the twins love it here. They is able to play and not worry where their next meal is gonna come from."  
  
"But what about you? Brooklyn and being a newsie is all you know." Kit pulled away again.  
  
"Don't mean Ise can't learn this. Kit it ain't like Ise beggin for food no more. Ise working for it and hard too, but at da end of da day Ise the one puttin it on the table. Ise only answer to me here. Ise don't have ta answer to Hearst or Pulitzer or Kosei or Cryder or anybody. Just me. So Ise gonna go back to Brooklyn and Take car of a few things. Then Ise gonna come back. Ise want to make sure Ise ain't gonna come back to a dream."  
  
Kit was silent. Spot put a hand on either side of her face and gently kissed her again. This time the kiss was bittersweet, as if all the emotions from his words were poured into the kiss. As he stepped back again he looked into her eyes, "Kit Ise love you and Ise asking dat youse wait for me."  
  
Kit was speechless, but slowly she nodded, "I'll wait as long as I hafta till you come back."  
  
Spot smiled and pulled her close into a hug, and murmured into her hair, "Good." 


	21. Dreams Realized

The smells of freshly turned earth mingled with the after sent of a cleansing rain. The songs of birds excited about spring drifted through the open door of the homestead. Inside the kitchen the smell of lye soap was strong and the brush strokes on the wooden floor was in perfect rhythm to the birds' songs. Kit sat up stretching out the kinks in her back as she placed the scrubbing brush into to bucket of water. It never ceased to amaze her the amount of mud the twins and their friends would tramp into the house no matter how many times she told them to wipe their feet off before coming in. It had been two years since the first time she had set eyes on New York City and a little over a year and a half since Spot had left. Many changes had occurred in the lives of the little group.  
  
The biggest change had been when Cray and Mills had gotten married last spring, which was followed by the birth of their baby girl nine months later. Mills still blushed hotly if anyone mentioned how quickly it had all happened. They had named the baby Miora Rose after both of their mother's.  
  
Swan had gotten his teacher's license not long after the wedding and had reopened the one room school house down the lane the pervious fall, much to the delight of the parents in the area but to the chagrin of the students. He also took the opportunity to court Tack properly over the past winter and Kit wouldn't be too surprised if they were married by the next spring.  
  
The twins and the girls were happy, all four had started at Swan's school and were doing fine. Though the girls had a hard time calling Swan Mr. Swanson and as such many of the younger students were calling him Mr. Swan.  
  
Their sisters had been unwilling to move back to the one room school house and leave behind the selection of boys that the town had offered. So they continued to stay with Karen and Joel in Lincoln coming home on the long breaks with Wil when he came home from Creighton College. Kit was proud of him as he was well on his way to becoming a doctor.  
  
Josh and Jeremy hadn't stayed much longer after Spot had left. And before the first flakes of winter had fallen they were back at Jeremy's ranch as cowboys. Though before they had left both Josh and Jeremy had apologized to Kit for their behavior. Their friendships weren't where they had been as children but when she saw them leave a part of her was sad to see them go.  
  
The coming of the pervious spring had also brought with it the shadow of death. Sid passed on in his sleep the day after the first robin of spring had sung in the tree by his window. Rose hadn't taken his death well and so after the wedding Mills and Cray had moved in to the big house to keep her company.  
  
Over the past year and a half the newsie nicknames fell by the way side, Cray was still Cray, but Mills had allowed everyone to call her Katie and Tack preferred to be called Jessie. For Kit being at home meant everyone except her friends called her Ami and so only Cray and Spot in his letters still used Kit. The twins had been harder to move back to their given names but slowly, with a lot of practice at school they had gotten used to being called Andy and Chris instead of Jolly and Bait, though they still answered quicker to their nicknames when Kit was mad.  
  
Kit and Spot wrote each other faithfully over the months that had followed his leaving. Their letters were full of news and sweet nothings, which Kit treasured above any other thing in her life. But as the pervious winter had progressed his letters became fewer and farther between. But she still looked forward to the arrival of at least one every month. He never talked about what he was doing in Brooklyn, mostly his letters were about missing her and notes from different people to pass on to Mills or the twins. But it was obvious that the business he thought would only take a couple of months was dragging on longer than he had planned.  
  
Kit was getting worried though, for the first time in over a year she hadn't received even on letter from him in two months. She had thought of sending him a telegram, but was persuaded not to by both Cray and Mills. But she wasn't going to allow that to bother her today. Because today was the last day of school for the year, school had let out at lunch time but Cray and Swan had taken Katie, the baby, Jessie, the twins and the girls into town as a celebration and to bring back Ally, Heather, Celeste and Wil the next day.  
  
Kit had offered to stay behind to keep Rose company and after she had finished her cleaning she was doing and Brian and Joe came she was going up to the big house. Brian and Joe were Wil's fiancée's younger brothers, they were coming to care for the stock for the evening and had been told to stop down at the small house for directions. A small part of her was disappointed that she had stayed behind because it was her birthday. But another part of her realized that today was the only day that they could have gotten together to get her gift, which was what the side reason for everyone going had been as Becky had let slip out the night before.  
  
Kit finished the last of her scrubbing and placed the bucket by the door for the boys to take and dump out when they came. Then she went to her room to change out of her wet dress and straighten her hair before going to see Rose. As she sat in front of the vanity she heard the back door open. "You better have had wiped your feet before coming into this house or I'll cut them off at the ankles." Kit said loudly without looking to see who had come in.  
  
She heard the sound of shoes being scrapped off on the mud bar and smiled. She stood up called from the door. "There is a bucket of water next to the door with a scrub brush, clean up the mud and then dump out the water then we can talk about what your chores are." She sat back at the vanity and when the door reopened for a third time she called back out. "Why don't you come back to the hallway and we can discuss this while I finish tidying up in here." The person grunted and footsteps were heard coming to her doorway.  
  
"Well you are later than I expected so I'll have to leave you two on your own to do the chores. The chickens have been fed so you only have to worry about the cows, horses and pigs. Put a forkful of hay for the horses and half a forkful for the cows, before you milk the cows. After you finish with the cows, let them and the horses out into the gated pastures. Then pour out a pie pan of milk for the cats. You shouldn't have to muck out the stalls, but if you do, you can figure where the manure goes I am sure. Oh work coveralls are hanging on a nail as you go in if you didn't bring any of your own and the pitchfork is by the stalls. You got any questions?"  
  
"Well, Ise wondering if Ise could at least get a hug before Ise go and do that." The amused voice at the door responded.  
  
Kit's eyes widened in surprise as she looked up in her mirror and caught the amused smile of Spot. She dropped her hairpins as she jumped up and ran to give him his requested hug. "Spot" was all she got out before being silenced by a kiss. When they finally broke apart Spot leaned his forehead to touch hers. "So did youse miss me?" He asked with a smile. Kit nodded as tears rolled down her checks. "Do youse like your birthday surprise." He asked and in return got another kiss.  
  
"Well this isn't your only surprise." He said as he knelt down in front of her and took her hand. "Amelia Oberg. Ise know Ise don't deserve to ask, but would you consider to making me da happiest guy in da world? Will you marry me?" He slipped the ring on her finger as she nodded vigorously.  
  
She pulled him up to his feet and kissed him soundly. Spot broke their kiss and pulled her into a hug. Then whispered into her hear "As nice as the kiss was youse didn't answer my question. Will youse marry me?"  
  
Kit took a step back, then wrapped her arms around his neck and looked behind him to see Cray, Mills, Swan and Jessie standing in the kitchen. Her friends were nodding through their own tears and the two men wore smug grins as if to say "look what we did." Kit winked at the quartet before looking into Spot's eyes. Her face was a mask of serious concentration before she broke into a smile. "Well Robert Conlon after a lot of consideration and advice from my family. Yes." 


End file.
